FOOD / 08

so yes, i totally agree that summer fruits are so delicious and full of flavor, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t amp these mothers up and try to impress a few people, right?

i bring you a very short, very easy and very, very rewarding recipe for vanilla soaked fruit. do not try to cut corners by using vanilla extract or something like that.  you have to get vanilla beans or else you won’t get those cute black specks all over your fruit. and vanilla soaked fruit that doesn’t have black specs . . . well that just ain’t cool.

what you’ll need:
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 3 peaches, halved with pits removed
• 3 plums, halved with pits removed

*note:  if you have 4 peaches and no plums, this recipe still works.  if you have 2 peaches, 1 plum and one pear, this recipe still works.  if you have no peaches, 3 plums, a handful of blueberries and a nectarine . . . this recipe still works. get the picture?

what to do:

• pop the sugar and water into a saucepan.  before turning on the heat, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise to expose all of those teeny tiny little flavor beads.  run your knife along the split in the bean to release the seeds.  i usually do this over the saucepan so the seeds just drop right into the water.  once your bean has been scraped you can discard it.   turn the heat on low and stir until sugar is dissolved.

then:

• add the fruit and poach it for about five minutes (keep the heat on low).

um, that’s all.  how easy is that?  and by the way . . . this is gonna blow your mind.  it’s sooooo good.  i remember the first time this was made for me it brought tears to my eyes.
i suggest taking it to the next level and pouring some of the syrup and fruit over a big bowl of vanilla ice cream.

{ column + photos by jen gotch, design by bri }