We are fortunate enough to be full on in peach season. And we are even more fortunate to live in a state that grows some of the very best peaches in the country, the great Palisade Peach! Since it’s National Peach Month, we thought we’d ask some area restaurants what they are doing, both in food and drink, to honor the beautiful fruit. Hurry, visit these Colorado restaurants while Palisade peaches are in their glory and these offerings are still available.
BONUS: Scroll down for a great recipe for peach compote using less than perfect peaches, UBU’s (ugly but useful).
Avelina – Three offerings: Burrata with peaches, prosciutto, heirloom cherry tomatoes, smoked almonds, and pumpernickel crisp; Peach Glazed Pork Belly with zucchini purée, arugula, jalapeño, and pickled zucchini; Grilled Peaches with house granola, basil, raspberry coulis, and cream anglaise.
Call – Summer Salad features Colorado peaches, creamy burrata, frisee and selected seeds.
Del Frisco’s Grille – White Sangria with pinot grigio combined with housemade fresh white peach puree, topped with peach schnapps. Instead of a citrus garnish, they finish the drink with a strawberry peach popsicle for stirring, swizzling and slurping.
Flagstaff House Restaurant – Crisp Cure Farms Squash Blossom dish with squash blossoms with housemade ricotta as a crispy foil to Colorado peaches, finished with a hint of lavender from Flagstaff’s garden, pistachio and dandelion greens.
Jill’s Restaurant – Palisade Peach Melba, made tableside. They sautee organic Palisade peaches and raspberries in brown sugar. They are then flambéed tableside in local Leopold’s Blackberry Whiskey before being plated with house-made mascarpone ice cream, whipped cream and toasted almonds.
Olive & Finch – Palisade Peach Tartine with bourbon peaches, bleu cheese, candied almonds and arugula.
PMG – Grilled Peaches with fresh whipped cream and heritage emmer grains and a salad featuring the peaches and a citrus vinaigrette.
Smōk – Peach Hand Pies are available from this restaurant newly-opened in The Source Hotel & Marketplace.
Vesta – Buttermilk Pie, a southern tradition with vanilla buttermilk custard, cornmeal crust, Colorado drunken peaches and wild blueberries. (Read our review of Vesta, a restaurant we highly recommend for the perfect date night).
Whole Sol – Blueberry Peach Cobbler with wild-harvested acai topped with organic peaches, blueberries raw coconut, finished with a granola crunch, drizzled with honey. Order it with vanilla spice butter.
Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel – purchased 125 pounds of “ugly” peaches and, embracing the UBU – ugly but useful – movement, has turned the defective but very sweet, juicy fruit into dessert and menu items. ChefScott Skomal has created the Peach Compote below, using it in hand-made chocolates and their fried chicken slider using mini waffles as the “bun.” Chef Skomal purchased the fruits from Food Maven, a Colorado company that buys imperfect fruit from local purveyors and sells them at a discounted rate.
Chef Skomal’s Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Palisade Peach Compote
Ingredients:
5 lbs Palisade peaches
1 Cup vegetable oil
2 Cups yellow onions
2 Cups brown sugar
1 Cup minced garlic
8 Ounces white wine
3 Dried Pasilla peppers
1 Serrano pepper, minced
2 Jalapenos minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Heat large skillet pan.
Add 1 cup of blended oil.
Add onions and caramelize.
Add garlic and toasted dried peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
Add fresh peppers and cook or 5 more minutes.
Add 2 cups of brown sugar stir in and cook for 2 minutes.
Add white wine and deglaze, releasing the caramelized bits by gently scraping with a spoon as you cook.
Add peaches and 2 cups of water.
Cook for 30-40 mins on low heat.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Remove from pan and let cool.
Once cooled remove the dried chilies and serve.
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