The last farmshare received only had peaches and eggs. Hurricane Irene destroyed our farmers’ crops in the Hudson Valley, and the government declared the surviving produce not fit for human or animal consumption. If you haven’t been to the farmer’s market in a while, right now is the best time to visit to show support. A few have recently returned to the market since the hurricane. How am I supporting our local farmers? As mentioned in the Fried Cornmeal Okra post, MyLifeRunsOnFood.com is part of The Northeast Organic Farming Association’s (NOFA) Locavore Challenge, for their goal is to sign up 5,000 people. It’s an educational challenge directly supporting our local food systems.

Recently, through the twitter grapevine, someone shared a petition promoting a bill in Congress waiving farmers’ requirement for crop insurance to be eligible for USDA Disaster Assistance programs. Learn more about the bill and sign the online petition here.

This Honey Peach Ice Cream is a classic. It’s moooo-cow creamy and honey bee sweet. The peaches are a dreamy goodbye kiss to those long summer days. The raw honey is from a local beekeeper in my neighborhood. I regretfully brought too little amount of honey. Next time, I’m buying a pound or two to make Lemon-Ginger Tea during the colder months when people generously share their colds and illnesses.

We’re getting too ahead of ourselves. Besides Hurricane Irene, earthquakes, tornadoes, temperatures declining, these days are majestically beautiful. Early sunsets imitate the cloudy colors of a peach. The weather is nice enough to continue playing outside and leisurely enjoy a comfortable scoop of Honey Peach Ice Cream. It’s the last of summer’s produce courtesy of Mother Nature’s wrath.

Honey Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients
1 pound ripe peaches (about six to eight)
1/2-cup sugar; more or less depending on the sweetness of the peaches
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
A dash of sea salt
3-cups organic heavy cream
1-cup organic whole milk (don’t skimp by buying a lower fat milk)
4 organic egg yolks
A generous 1/2-cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
1. To Peel Peaches: Bring a medium-size pot of lightly salted water to a boil. At the bottom of the peaches, lightly cut an ‘X’ through the skin. Place peaches in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Rinse peaches under cold water to stop them from cooking. Continue to let cool. Using the skin around the ‘X’ as a guide, peel the skin off the peaches.
2. Lightly cut the peaches in half to discard the pits and add the flesh to the bowl of a food processor. Add the white sugar and lemon juice. Puree until smooth or pulse a few times if a chunky peach texture ice cream is preferred. Let sit at room temperature for an hour.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and honey in a large bowl. Over medium-low heat, warm salt, cream, and milk until tiny bubbles appear on the sides of the pot. Don’t let the cream boil.
4. Temper the Eggs: Very quickly whisk in a 1/4 cup of the cream into the egg yolks. Continue this process until all the cream is whisked into the egg yolks.
5. Return the cream and egg yolk mixture back to the pot over medium-low heat. Continue stirring until the custard thickens. Don’t let it boil, or the egg yolks will curdle.
6. Strain the custard over a large bowl. Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and peaches.
7. Chill custard in the refrigerator overnight.
8. Pour custard in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions. When the ice cream is the texture of a loose soft-serve ice cream, transfer to a container and seal tightly. Freeze until the custard is firm and creamy.
9. Enjoy.