A little peach in an orchard grew,
A little peach of emerald hue;
Warmed by the sun and wet by the dew
It grew.
– Eugene Field, The Little Peach

I am still enjoying the fresh, juicy peaches that I got at Ham’s Orchard earlier this week. (Did I mention to you that they were still warm from the sun when I bought them? That’s how fresh they were. You don’t get that in a grocery store. Get yourself to an orchard if you want that little pleasure, at least once this summer.)   I’ve made peach cobbler, peach puff pastries, peaches and cream, and, today, old-fashioned peach bread! I can just imagine my grandmother in South Carolina (we called her FatMama…she was a saint to tolerate that!) making this in her little kitchen for my dad and all his siblings.  I’m definitely going to share the recipe with you today because it would be a great Father’s Day breakfast for you and dad to have with your coffee or ice cold milk. The bread can bake while dad sleeps in or gets ready for church or whatever he chooses to do on Father’s Day morning.  I served it to my boys this morning while it was still warm, and it’s great that way. I cannot report on how it is when cooled, as it didn’t last long enough for us to find out.  🙂

Old-Fashioned Peach Bread

 (adapted from http://www.vintagevictuals.com)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup smashed or pureed peaches (about two medium peaches)   (I  used my potato masher and a bowl, but you could use a food processor or a stick blender)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups plain flour  (I prefer unbleached)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups peaches that have been peeled and diced (three or four medium peaches)

topping:

1/2 tsp cinnamon mixed with 2 TBS brown sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Next, add in peach puree and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add gradually to the wet mixture until mixed. Do not overbeat.  Stir in diced peaches.

Pour into a greased loaf pan, and then top with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees F until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes, depending upon your oven.

Cool in pan for ten minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Slice into nice thick slices and enjoy!  (yielded 8 thick slices)

I hope that you enjoy this old-fashioned bread as much as we did.  Now I’ve got to go make peach pie filling for the freezer; I’ll use up all these luscious peaches yet!  🙂