Few foods capture the essence of summer and the South like peaches.

Get past the fuzzy exterior, and the orange fruit is juicy, sweet, fragrant and a delight to enjoy, said Geraldine Nelms of Momeyer.

Nelms remembers going every summer in the 1940s with her mother and siblings to buy a bushel of peaches at Finch’s Peach Orchard in Bailey, which later closed. Some they would eat fresh, but most would be canned or frozen to be enjoyed well into the fall and winter.

Those trips meant so much to her, Nelms carried on the tradition with her six children by getting fresh peaches from an orchard.

“A lot of the stuff we used to do a long time ago is kind of a lost art now. The younger generation doesn’t seem to be that interested in it because it is so convenient to go to the store and get what you want,” Nelms said.

In the last month, peaches have been appearing more and more at fruit stands, farmers markets and grocery stores. They are not an easy fruit to grow anywhere, but especially in this part of North Carolina, where late frosts quickly wipe out entire crops, said Dean Kight, who raises peaches and other crops in Halifax and sells them at the Rocky Mount Farmers Market.

“The last two or three years, we have been fortunate enough to make a decent crop, but we have had some years where we lost the entire crop. A lot of years, we have had 30, 40 or 50 percent of the crop. It is not anything that you can depend on,” Kight said.

When the crops do come in, he is happy to eat one or two while he is working. Because this is their busy season, his wife, Joyce Kight, freezes or cans most and later makes them into cobblers, preserves, pies or homemade ice cream.

Peaches are a versatile fruit, Nelms said. They are wonderful on their own or as a complement to other ingredients. They can be grilled, baked, boiled or fried. They can be added to salads, soups, meats, smoothies and baked goods.

Nelms said she has adapted numerous recipes by replacing other fruits with peaches. The key is to avoid preconceived notions about what dishes you think peaches should or should not be in.

“Just use a little imagination,” she said.

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DESSERT

Peach Dumplings

2 eight-count cans of crescent rolls

4 large peaches

2 sticks margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 10-ounce can Mountain Dew

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash peaches, cut in half lengthwise, remove pit and peel off skin. Cut each peach into four slices. Roll each piece in one crescent roll so ends of peaches are peeking out and place in a 9-by-13-inch buttered pan.

Melt margarine and combine with sugar and vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle rolls lightly with cinnamon. Bake for 40 minutes.

Cook’s note: Make dish extra peachy by placing additional slices of peeled peaches around dumplings.

Recipe courtesy Geraldine Nelms of Momeyer.

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DESSERT

Cinnamon Peach Pie

For the pastry

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 or 7 tablespoons water

For the filling

5 cups sliced peaches

1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the topping

1 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 fresh peach, sliced

Preheat oven 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and oil for pastry. Mix until crumbly. Gradually add water, using just enough to form a soft, pliable dough. Divide in half, roll each half into a ball, flatten and roll each out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit one pastry circle into 9-inch pie pan and reserve remaining pastry for top crust.

In a large bowl, combine sliced peaches with flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Spoon into pastry-lined pie pan and cover with remaining sheet of pastry. Secure pastry edges together by fluting or crimping crust. Slit the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and continue baking for 25 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

Shortly before serving, whip heavy cream and vanilla just until fluffy; do not overbeat. Spoon over pie and garnish with a slice of fresh peach.

Recipe from “Sweet and Sugarfree: An All-Natural, Fruit-Sweetened Dessert Cookbook” by Karen Barkie.

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DESSERT

Southern Peach Pudding

6 cups chopped peaches (about 10 peaches, peeled and pitted)

1/4 cup cornstarch

Cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

For the topping

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 cup grated pecans

Put half the chopped peaches in a blender or food processor and blend with cornstarch until smooth. Add cinnamon or nutmeg to taste if desired. Pour into the top of double boiler, bring to a boil over medium setting and stir constantly. Mixture will thicken. Add the remaining chopped peaches and cook just until tender.

Spoon pudding into individual sherbert dishes and chill. Shortly before serving, whip heavy cream and spoon over pudding. Top with grated pecans and serve immediately.

Recipe from “Sweet and Sugarfree: An All-Natural, Fruit-Sweetened Dessert Cookbook” by Karen Barkie.