Summertime has long been associated with feel good vibes, made popular with song lyrics like “School’s out for the summer” and “Summertime and the livin’s easy.” Thoughts of vacation and happy beach days come to mind, pool parties and fun fishing trips. In Georgia, June and July are also harvest months for many farmers and gardeners. Homegrown tomatoes, sweet corn on the cob, fresh peaches and wild blueberries bloom to life and are ready for picking. For cooks and chefs, and those who love to eat, this is one exciting time of year.

So many summertime celebrations call for easy fresh fruit desserts: Father’s Day, July 4 and Labor Day to name a few. For all my ingredients, I frequent the Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday in the Sea Island Bank parking area in downtown Statesboro, and I highly encourage you to do the same. Abundant with fresh herbs, local vegetables and in-season fruits, there’s no better way to know what’s growing where you are and to experience the unique flavors of Southeast Georgia. 

When it comes to baking, I love to pair blueberries and peaches in warm crumbles, tarts and pies. A galette is a French term for a round, rustic, free-form cake, and in recent years I’ve added it to my repertoire of easy and impressive recipes. With its flaky, made-from-scratch crust and simple fruit filling, the dessert bakes in just 20 minutes. You’ll love the sweet flavor of the filling bursting with natural juices from the fruit. The orange mint gives the dish a bright pop of green color and a citrusy boost. You can find this unique variety of mint at the Farmers’ Market, along with the fruit for this recipe. If you aren’t able to find orange mint, regular fresh mint is a great substitute. Learn more about what’s in season and how to cook it by visiting SomeKindaGood.com. 

Georgia Peach & Wild Blueberry Galette with Orange Mint

Prep time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold butter, cut into small (1/2-inch) cubes

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

3 large Georgia peaches, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-4 teaspoons butter, for dotting

1 egg

Extra sugar for dusting

Orange Mint for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt until well mixed. Add the cubed butter, and pulse until the mixture comes together in little crumbs. Slowly add the ice water, a tablespoon or two at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just begins to clump. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and form into a disc. Sprinkle with a little flour on all sides, wrap with plastic and place into the refrigerator to chill for an hour.

In a large mixing bowl, toss peaches and blueberries with flour, sugar and vanilla. Preheat the oven with the rack in the middle position to 425°F. Sprinkle vanilla extract over the fruit mixture. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the egg until smooth and set aside. Once dough has chilled, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to about a 12-inch circle. Gently lift up the rolled out dough and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

Arrange the fruit mixture in the center of the dough and dot with as much butter as you see fit. Fold the outer edges of the dough over the filling, by about 2 inches all the way around, in an accordion fashion. Note: This does not have to be perfect. Remember, rustic is the keyword here.

Use a pastry brush to coat the dough with your egg wash and sprinkle the entire top and edges with sugar. Bake the galette at 425°F for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 15 minutes before slicing.