Summer series: Saturday's at the Farmer's Market

In summer, everyone else is out with their gear, maps, packed cars and travel itineraries,while I prefer to stay still. I would rather spend peaceful days, moving little, taking in the splendor of my favorite season in Colorado. I frequent the farmer's market with my grand-daughter Makena,3 1/2, who loves to make the rounds. Pete (Oxford Gardens) gives her fresh carrots to nibble on, Lara (Cure Farm) gives her flowers, and her basket fills with love.

Makena doesn't like peaches, (I could faint) but she likes to bake. Peach pies are a mainstay.

Peach Pie with Clotted Cream

6 organic peaches, skins left on, sliced
1/2 c sugar
1 lemon, sliced in half

crust:
2 cups of unbleached white flour
1 stick and a half of butter
a few T's of cold water
pinch of salt

cream

tart pan

This informal recipe is meant to give you a relaxed approach to pie making.

Put together your pie dough, by cutting butter into your flour with two knives(or use a cuisinart, pulsing the blade to cut the butter into flour). Add a pinch of salt. Add cold water a tablespoon at the time to bind the dough together. Form into a ball. It should feel like a 'babies behind'. Put it in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, slice peaches into a bowl. Add sugar to taste and 1/2 lemon, juiced with your hand.Set aside.

Roll out dough on a floured surface, starting from the center and rolling out in all directions until you have a thin round. Center it over your tart pan, trimming the edges.

Press dough gently along the sides where the edge meets the bottom. The crust needs to bake on it's own before putting in the filling at 350F. weighted. Use a piece of aluminum foil over the crust and add beans, or other filler to keep the dough from rising. I've even used a glass bowl, turned upside down. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove
weight and foil and cook another 10 minutes.

Take crust out and add your peaches in a uniform fashion all around the tart pan, spiraling into the center. Bake for 20 minutes. Add cream by pouring over the top of the pie about half way. Let bake another 10-15 minutes. The cream will clot and the peaches will look wilted and rustic with their skins. Let cool for a moment, then unmold the tart from the sides. Enjoy.