Peaches, Monet, Chagall, and the Air Show

August's Luscious Peach

In the Midwest, August is the month for peaches and The Chicago Air & Water Show, the largest spectator event in the United States.
I was having some friends over, to eat, drink, and view the stellar feats of The United States Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels as they fly, twist, and turn over Lake Michigan and circle my high-rise—shaking the pictures on the wall as we watch.
I went to the Farmer’s Market early. I knew it would be a bear of a traffic day, but I walked and wanted to make a peach cobbler, to finish the meal with a flourish!

Like radar I found Ginger and the Flamin’ Fury® peaches.

Ginger and Flamin' Fury Peaches

Ginger is ready with samples and information. She says,”Peaches are the Sham-wow of fruit.” Flamin’ Fury® peaches are named after Paul Friday’s redheaded granddaughters. The peaches look and smell perfect, taste sweet and juicy, are firm and full with a beautiful color, and packed with potassium and vitamins A and C.

Paul Friday’s “fruit growing family has been in search of better varieties and better methods of growing fruit since they came here from Germany in 1846, ten years after Michigan became a state.” Their family farm for 161 years is located on Friday Road, Coloma, Michigan.
And every week they’re selling fruit at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park.

I’d love to meet those Redheaded Granddaughters!

Ginger said for six pounds of peaches, I’d need two bags.
Now all I have to do is walk home and make the cobbler.

Chicken Marinating

And dredge and bake the marinating oven-fried chicken,

and prepare the Ciliegine Caprese Salad,

and chop and mix the green salad, and set the table.

And get dressed…
And who am I kidding?

In this 90 degree weather?

I see Nasturtium blooms with their delicate, bright, elegance, and remember California, the dry soil and sunlight Nasturtiums thrive on, and their radish-watercress bite. I think of Monet, who planted them along the border of the path to his front door in Giverny, France. I buy the edible flowers to add a spicy surprise to my salad.

Nasturtiums at Green City Market

Then I see the Hoosier Mama.

Hoosier Mama Pie Company.

And her delicious Hoosier Mama Pies. I couldn’t resist; I bought an over-the-top, peach-apricot-blueberry-crumble pie. We can eat the peaches!

I took the 151 Bus home, armed with my Hoosier Mama pie, six pounds of peaches, blueberries, mushrooms, mint, basil, and the fragile Nasturtiums.
The 151 driver had the patience of Mother Teresa with the traffic, as cars pulled in front of her double-parking along the curb to unload; circus-cars overflowing with families, coolers, chairs, tables, grills, carts, buggies, babies, bags of food, radios, umbrellas, and blankets.

I arrive home happy to cook… with my pounds of peaches and Monet’s Nasturtiums, and inspiration from a Marc Chagall card of JOY ; ready for my guests and the jets.

Peaches, Monet and Marc Chagall.

And a “Ginger peachy” day.