A poem for September (the ninth month of the year)

"September is beautiful, but kind of heavy" says Emily.

Where Emily lives winters are a serious business,

only eight weeks until the snow flies up there.

Down here in the south

The heaviest thing about September are the peaches.

The Red Havens weigh down your hand like a five-pin bowling ball.

The early Gala apples, too

coloured over in a pencil crayon blush of 'rosy red' and 'yellow green',

So loaded with the fullness of autumn they fall to the ground

if you don't catch them first.

"September is beautiful, but kind of heavy" says Emily.

Winter encroaches with melancholy sweetness.

The heaviness lies in the work to be done.

The weight of the harvest requires a sturdy handled basket,

It is always tempting to gather too much.

Plums and apricots, beets and cabbages,

corn and blackberries, peppers and grapes,

Mounds of hearty plumpness heaped on the table,

Some for the freezer -  for months down the road.

The peaches I leave in the bowl for today,

Preferring to save their juicy ripeness as a surprise again for next year.

We eat them standing, leaning over the sink.

Toothsome glory running down our chins.

     *************

I discovered a wonderful recipe which uses fresh peaches and plums, or any other seasonal fruit, and had to share it. Enjoy!

Plum-Peach Crisp  (from The Splendid Grain by Rebecca Wood)

4 ripe Italian prune plums
4 ripe peaches
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau) optional
1 Tbsp finely slivered or grated orange zest

1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar or Sucanat
Pinch of sea salt
4 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted

Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Celcius. Butter a 9 inch pie pan or a deep baking dish.
Scald the plums and peaches in boiling water for about 15 seconds. Pour into a colander, rinse with cold water, and slip off the skins. Cut in half and remove the pits. Place the plums on the bottom of the pie pan. Arrange peach halves over the plums. Combine the maple syrup, 1 Tbsp flour, liqueur, and orange zest in a small bowl. Pour over the fruit.
Mix the oatmeal, flour, Sucanat, and salt in a food processor or bowl. Add the butter pieces. Process or cut the butter with 2 knives until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the top to become crisp. Serve warm, garnished with dollops of whipped cream, if desired.