What’s a drupe? Hint, hint. Look below.

I know that I wrote last week that I have stopped creating themes, and I did. However, in the world of whimsy sometimes themes just appear on their own. This week the new recipes involve stone fruit. As I began to write this week’s intro, I decided to do a little reading on stone fruit and learned that they are known as drupes in botany. So, welcome to drupe week, everyone!

I have used drupes: cherries, nectarines, peaches, apricots, and more, in a good number of Think Tasty recipes. Although I don’t like to play favorites, I absolutely adore my recipe for Pickled Peaches. What I love about this recipe is that it captures the sweetness of the fruit but then adds a tangy element to it. You can eat a bowlful of them and not feel guilty or overwhelmed with sweetness.

Beyond the yin and yang of flavors, this recipe also has a wow factor to it. First, people look at you sideways when you announce that you have pickled peaches. Most people don’t think of pickling beyond veggies, and usually just cucumbers at that. Second, when they are eaten, people tend to be astounded by the amount of flavor they deliver. For a recipe that really is quite simple, others assume you’ve spent hours working on this dish. Go ahead. Let them think that and bask in the glory.

I know for a good part of the US it’s too early for local peaches, but that’s fine. Since they’re going to be pickled using a peach that’s not fresh from the vine won’t make a difference. Whether you’re heading to a cookout, want something different to serve with a cheeseboard, or just need a new side dish, these pickled peaches are worth a try.