Recipe News: The fruits of summer: recipes for peaches, melons and all things berry

Summer in northern Wisconsin is a much-anticipated season. For me, one of the best rewards of living through a long winter is enjoying the bounty of readily available fresh fruit, especially those which are actually grown in or near Wisconsin. One of my fondest memories of living in northern California is enjoying fresh, perfectly ripe strawberries grown in Watsonville, which was about an hour from our former home. One of my fondest memories of moving to northern Wisconsin is the first time I picked strawberries, less than an hour from our new home. A month after our arrival here, my neighbor took me with her to pick strawberries in Tomahawk. Thinking that California strawberries were the only type on the entire planet, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that these wonderful, locally-grown gems are not only sweet, but also have an indescribable combination of complex flavors. I have since discovered that this is an enduring Northwoods tradition for many during the first few weeks in July. Thanks to my husband’s membership in the California Rare Fruit Growers Association, we had a number of grafted fruit trees, including peaches, in our California backyard. Years after moving to Rhinelander, as we move closer to harvest time, I still think of the flavor of those backyard peaches. However, I have since then discovered another Rhinelander “tradition”: the annual July return of the Tree Ripe Citrus truck that brings Georgia peaches to our community. This July, I arrived early, and a line of at least 30 people had already formed. It was truly an “event,” as total strangers were amiably chatting with each other about peach recipes, freezing peaches, canning peaches and everything in between.