Verses from my Kitchen: Everything's Peachy

One of my favourite things to do is explore and support the Ontario culinary events this great province has to offer. Festivals, chef dinners, farmers markets, and tastings. The growers and producers who richly deserve the recognition they get and and the chefs who, in turn, support those same people to produce some of the great food offerings in your local area. Basically, anywhere that you can eat, shop and play that highlight the best in local, regional food.

August is famous for many things including the last great month of hot weather and the fruits and vegetables that are produced locally and in abundance. Peaches, coming from local producers this time of year, is one of the many joys and rights of passage for food lovers. When I discovered a Peach Festival was within a short commute, I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Sunday with my wife and her family.

The Winona Peach Festival was established in 1967. It has grown in size and stature since those days with an expected 125, 000 to 150,000 visitors expected this past weekend. The festival has a wide range of events to keep everybody happy, from arts and crafts vendors to classic cars and midway rides to a full range of food options. Shopping for the adults, rides and games for the kids. And peaches.

Make no mistake about it, the star attraction was peaches, and the peaches of 2010 are among the sweetest and juiciest on record. There were peaches being sold by the small 1L box to the 7L carton and stations where peaches were being made in crepes, milkshakes, pies, juice and sundaes. It is the sundaes that steal this show and drive repeat traffic. Made fresh with Stoney Creek Dairy vanilla ice cream and delicious local Ontario peaches produced by the areas farmers, this sundae had it all. Delicious vanilla ice cream with a scent of caramel within, soft ripe peach slices and topped with fresh whipped cream. Three ingredients that tasted like six or seven. A mouthful of heaven.

It is a great way to spend a few hours soaking up the sun, spending time with family and indulging in succulent golden-yellow peaches, the kinds of which we may not see for years to come. It may be a country fair but it has all the ingredients necessary for people to leave happy.