Out in Water Mill, sisters Jennifer Halsey-Dupree and Amy Halsey carry on a family farming tradition that spans more than 350 years at Milk Pail Farm Stand. As the farm’s pomologist, Jennifer is responsible for a tree-fruit harvest that includes a variety of yellow and white-fleshed peaches, nectarines and plums. But even this multi-generational farmer has favorites.
A peach tree only lasts about 20 years, making her first harvest in 1996 a particularly fond memory. In nearly 30 years on the family farm, though, Jennifer has found herself favoring freestone peaches—those that “come right off the pit”—which arrive from mid-July through August, noting that she has “shied away” from clingstone varieties, which “a lot of people don’t like,” she offers with the sage wisdom that only season after season of arduous agricultural and farm-stand toil can reveal.
Jennifer attests that while we might wilt in the August sun, peaches thrive in the heat, when their sweetness is at its juicy zenith. As her dad used to say about the trees in the spring: “Ah, they need it hot and dry.” And when they’re ripe, the possibilities for pure culinary joy are endless.
While the farm’s famed apple pie often steals the spotlight, its peach pies, based on a family recipe, are quick to sell out. But if you don’t have time for dough-rolling and fruit blanching, grilling these just-picked beauties from the Milk Pail orchard might just be the ultimate game-changer.
The high heat of the grill pulls the fruit’s natural sugars to the surface, caramelizing them for delightful and intense flavor in every bite. With a lightly charred exterior and smoky sweetness, grilled peaches make a delectable dessert on their own or an elegant pre-dinner snack. They also practically steal the show nestled next to grilled pork loin. As a snack treat, layer them on a baguette with creamy burrata cheese and finish with a drizzle of hot honey—a combination Jennifer heartily endorses, laughing, “If I had that offering at every meal, I would eat it.”
Tips for the Home Cook
Sourcing: Opt for firm, ripe freestone peaches. They should have a slight give when squeezed and a fragrant aroma.
Prep: Wash and dry the peaches, then slice them in half along the seam. Gently twist the halves to separate and remove the pit with a knife or your fingers.
Grilling: For a simple flavor, brush the cut side of each peach with olive oil before grilling. For a sweeter option, add brown sugar and cinnamon.
Technique: Place peaches cut-side down on a medium-heat grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear, then flip and cook on the skin side until tender.
Milk Pail Grilled Peaches
Ingredients
- 6 Milk Pail Farm peaches, halved
- olive oil
Directions
- Preheat a gas grill to medium heat. If you're using charcoal, grill the peaches after all the other ingredients have been cooked.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully slice each peach along the seam to create two halves. Discard the pit and lightly brush the exposed flesh of each peach with olive oil.
- Place the peach halves cut-side down on the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, without moving them, until they develop distinct grill marks.
- Turn the peaches over and continue to grill on the skin side for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is lightly charred and the peaches feel tender.
- Take the peaches off the grill. Serve the halves as individual servings with ice cream for dessert, or allow them to cool, slice, and layer on top of a toasted baguette with burrata and a hot honey drizzle.
