Harmonie Cooking by Yolande Hoisington

Summer is the month of the delicious nectarines: concentrated sunshine that melts in our mouth.

Peaches and nectarines are from Chinese origin. They go back to the 10th century BC. Nectarines are first mentioned in America in 1720. They rose from a natural variation of the original peach tree. There are more than 100 varieties today and are available from mid spring to late September, picked during July and August.

Peaches and nectarines always have to be picked ripe. They do not ripen well after they have been picked. This is unfortunate because most nectarines we find in the markets are unripe. Try the farmer’s market as they might have ripe nectarines. To choose ripe nectarines, go by scent and touch. They should feel soft and give slightly to the touch. Be careful, avoid fruit with small bruises, they will go bad on that spot. You can keep them for one to three days when they are ripe, but do not refrigerate them.

Unripe nectarines can be left to ripen at room temperature. If you absolutely need to keep them longer, once the are ripe, they can be stored for 5 days in the refrigerator, but they will lose some of their flavor.

Nectarines are a good source of vitamin C and are low in calories with no sodium or cholesterol.

When kids come racing home hungry for a snack, chances are they’ll grab the most convenient item. Fill a basket or a bowl with fresh nectarines and other ripe summer fruit and place it on the kitchen counter.

Prepare a fruit plate every night - it only takes 5 minutes- slice a Kiwi, an orange, an apple, a nectarine, and whatever is in season, arrange the slices gracefully on a pretty serving dish and offer it to the family. Everybody likes it because there is variety and choice, and it’s great to spend another ten minutes together.

Go grocery shopping with your kids and show them how to choose a ripe fruit.

Capture their imagination by cooking fruit dessert with them. Children like to eat what they make, and will be thrilled to help you prepare this easy and delicious summer fruit recipe.

Do Babies Taste?

Teaching Your
Children About Food:

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Sole
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How to Educate Children's Palate

Turn Your Children
Into Chefs

Teaching your children about food is a powerful tool against the problem of obesity and malnutrition that sets children up for misery

Go grocery shopping with your kids and show them how to choose a ripe fruit.

Cooking in papillote brings out a dish's best flavor. Though parchment paper is traditionally used, it is difficult to handle. I personally prefer to use aluminum foil wrap.This dessert recipe is delicious, easy and quick to prepare, with no cleanup. You can also prepare it in winter, changing the variety of fruit. The addition of a small portion of ice cream creates a marvelous sauce.

6 servings
165 calories per serving, + 50 calories for ice cream
Preparation time: 10 minutes

1 vanilla bean
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 bananas, sliced lengthwise
3 ripe nectarines, sliced
8 ounces small ripe strawberries, hulled and washed,
Aluminum foil wrap,
6 small scoops coconut or vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375°.

Split the vanilla bean in two and scrape the seeds from inside. Mix them with the sugar.

Place the bananas halves, nectarines and strawberries in the center of 6 large pieces of foil (shiny-side inside). Fold the edges. Sprinkle with the vanilla sugar.

Close the papillottes. Make them look like big candies.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the fruit is only slightly cooked.
Place each papillotte on individual serving plate.
Uncover each top and put a scoop of ice cream in the center of each serving.

Serve immediately.

Children can wash the fruit, cut the fruit with a dull knife, cut the foil in pieces, arrange the fruit on the foil and create their own piece of art by folding the foil as they like, making great shapes( just verify it is hermetically sealed).