Peach Truck_FW

PHOTOGR APHS BY

Eliesa Johnson FOOD PHOTOGR APHS BY

John Kernick

Superjuicy, indescribably tender and more aromatic than any green-market peach you’ve ever tasted, the fruit sold by The Peach Truck has Nashville’s best cooks swooning. Pastry chef Lisa Donovan takes a bite.

peaches: a love story 98

The Peach Truck’s Stephen and Jessica Rose sell 15 varieties, including July Prince, opposite.

Have you ever had a trash can peach, in so many of the good decisions I’ve made as a pastry chef. Could we have met at City House in 2008, where I first learned what a trash can peach was as my chef, Tandy Wilson, and I ate one, laughing and covered in juice?

Perhaps he and I met some other time over the next several years as we circled each other at Nashville pop-up dinners and block parties. The city was bursting with new ideas then, with great music and fancy jeans. Weren’t peaches always at the center? Come 2013, I was seeing Stephen every week at Husk restaurant, both of us with real jobs: I in a crisp apron, he with his clipboard of orders and crates of peaches. He felt like a childhood friend. Today we remember each other’s faces from those days, our conversations and the important choices we made. But still, we don’t know when, exactly, our paths first crossed.

Is this the power of the peach, a fruit so seductive it has made us somewhat oblivious to the passage of time? In those early days Nashville was steeped in a kind of strange magic: We were part of a very

great moment, and it felt like every big dreamer lived in my neighborhood, in my city. Back then, we seized each opportunity and took every risk.

These days, Nashville is changing as it tries to grow up. And Stephen’s peaches, which appear at restaurants all over town, are an integral part of that. Now they’re spooned over the biscuit breakfast sandwich (p. 112) at Barista Parlor, simmered in a pork ragù (p. 103) at The 404 Kitchen, tossed with spicy grilled sausages (p. 104) at City House.

Stephen and I have grown up, too. Last year he and Jessica partnered with Uber on a delivery app, and they’ve begun shipping across the country through their website, thepeachtruck.com.

He and I both have accountants and employees now. We have homes and children. But when I think about those early days, full of hope and excitement, I always remember that first bite of summer fruit. Life felt ripe with possibility, just like one of those peaches.

food stylist: vivian lui; style editor: suzie myers

a specimen so juicy you have to eat it hunched over a garbage pail? If not, you’ve probably never met my friend Stephen Rose. He is the owner of The Peach Truck, a small company that sells impeccable fruit from Pearson Farm in Fort Valley, Georgia—his quiet hometown. The Peach Truck is named after the 1964 Jeep that Stephen and his wife and business partner, Jessica, use to deliver that fruit, just hours off the tree, to a cult following of chefs and farmers’ market devotees in Nashville.

Stephen and I can’t remember when we first met; it’s all a hazy peach dream.

He swears he’s only been selling in Nashville since 2012, but that simply can’t be true, because I’m pretty certain he and his fruit have been major players

Stephen Rose grew up picking fruit at Pearson’s, the fifthgeneration Georgia farm that supplies The Peach Truck.

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“Stephen and his fruit have been major players in so many of the good decisions I’ve made as a pastry chef.”

grilled chicken with pickled peaches, p. 104

Stephen and Jessica fuel up near Fort Valley, Georgia, en route to Nashville. opposite: An array of peachy dishes, including a spicy sausage one from chef Tandy Wilson (in baseball cap).

the giant peach, p. 110

biscuit sandwich with peach jam, p. 112

5 peach truck pit stops The Peach Truck delivers to die-hard fans all over Nashville. Here’s where to find its fruit.

sausages with peaches, p. 104

gemelli with peachand-pork ragù

Gemelli with Peach–and– Yellow Tomato Pork Ragù

4 medium yellow tomatoes (about 2 lbs.), quartered

Active 30 min; Total 4 hr 40 min Serves 6

2 Tbsp. gin

“Tomatoes and peaches are the perfect expression of summer, so why not put them together?” says chef Matt Bolus of The 404 Kitchen in Nashville. Peppery ginger cuts the natural sweetness of the fruit and the richness of the pork.

1½ Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger

BAKESHARE

BARISTA PARLOR

HUSK NASHVILLE

CIT Y HOUSE

THE 404 KITCHEN

Lisa Donovan is a self-taught pastry chef known for her time at Husk Nashville. Now you can find her slinging peach hand pies for her CSA-style BakeShare.

She also organizes popup bakeshops at places such as musician Jack White’s recording studio, Third Man Records.

On summer Sundays, The Peach Truck parks in front of Andy Mumma’s coffee shop.

Locals stop in for a cold brew called The Giant Peach or a breakfast sandwich, then buy a bag of fruit to take home.

Chef Sean Brock came across The Peach Truck while sourcing ingredients at a local farmers’ market. “I could smell the peaches before I could even see them,” he says. “I love pickling them and then using the fragrant vinegar to dress salads.”

City House was the first door that Stephen and Jessica Rose knocked on back in 2012. Chef Tandy Wilson bought a crate of peaches on the spot. “On a warm summer day, I will slurp down one of these juicy peaches. They practically dissolve in your hand,” he says.

At his restaurant, chef Matt Bolus says, “my favorite thing to do is top a fresh cheese like ricotta with sliced peaches, a drizzle of local honey and some mint. It’s heavenly.”

He also uses the fruit in everything from cocktails and cobblers to pastas.

Sausages with Peaches and Pickled Chiles, p. 104 Grilled Pizza with Peaches and Aged Cheddar, p. 113

Gemelli with Peach­–and–Yellow Tomato Pork Ragù, p. 103

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

— JULIA HEFFELFINGER

Kosher salt and pepper

Peach Hand Pies, p. 112 Peach-Buttermilk Ice Cream, p. 104

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Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches with Peach-Ginger Jam, p. 112 The Giant Peach, p. 110

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pickled Peaches, p. 104

102

One 3-lb. boneless pork shoulder roast

4 medium peaches (about 1½ lbs.), quartered F O L L O W U S @ F O O DA N D W I N E

1 rosemary sprig

1 lb. gemelli pasta 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup freshly grated Grana Padano cheese, plus more for serving Torn basil leaves, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 325°.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil.

Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook over

moderately high heat, turning, until golden brown all over, about 8 minutes. Add the peaches, yellow tomatoes, gin, rosemary, ginger and ½ cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven until the pork is very tender, about 3 hours. Transfer the pork to a work surface and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat into large pieces.

2. Meanwhile, working in 2 batches, puree the braising liquid in a blender until smooth; wipe out the casserole. Strain the sauce through a sieve set over the casserole. Simmer the

sauce over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.

3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Stir the shredded pork, pasta, pasta water, cherry tomatoes and the ½ cup of cheese into the sauce and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to bowls, garnish with basil and pass extra cheese at the table.

MAKE AHEAD The ragù can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and gently reheated.

WINE Juicy Chilean Chardon-

nay: 2015 Viña Leyda.

Sausages with Peaches and Pickled Chiles page 103 Active 30 min; Total 1 hr 30 min Serves 4

This supersimple dish is from Tandy Wilson of City House in Nashville. The combination of sweet, spicy and tangy flavors is intensely satisfying.

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pickled Peaches

2. In the large saucepan, combine all the remaining ingredients with 1½ cups of water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let the brine cool slightly, then pour over the peaches and let cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

page 103 Active 1 hr; Total 2 hr plus overnight brining and pickling Serves 4 to 6

At Husk Nashville, Sean Brock pickles that remarkable Peach Truck fruit, then chars it on the grill for a double layer of flavor.

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

PICKLED PEACHES

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

6 firm-ripe medium peaches

3 Tbsp. sorghum syrup or molasses 1½ tsp. kosher salt 2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

1½ cups distilled white vinegar

1 stalk of lemongrass, tender inner bulb only, thinly sliced One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Six 4-oz. hot Italian sausages

½ tsp. whole black peppercorns

2 medium peaches, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thick

5 allspice berries

1. In a 1-quart jar, shake both vinegars with the sorghum syrup, salt and ½ cup of water until the salt dissolves. Add the jalapeños and onion, cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

2. Light a grill and oil the grate.

Grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice on the bias.

3. Arrange the sliced peaches on a platter. Top with the sausages and some of the pickled jalapeños and onion. Drizzle with some of the pickling liquid and serve the remaining pickles on the side.

MAKE AHEAD The drained pick-

les can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

WINE Fresh Provençal rosé:

2015 Bieler Père et Fils Sabine.

4. Drain the chicken and wipe out the bowl. Return the chicken to the bowl and toss with ½ cup of the olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, chopped herbs and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

1 cup sugar

Canola oil, for brushing

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken In a large bowl, whisk 8 cups of water with the sorghum syrup and 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate overnight.

5. Light a grill and oil the grate.

Remove the peaches from the brine and reserve the pickling liquid. Grill the peaches over moderate heat, turning once, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a work surface.

Grill the chicken thighs over moderate heat, turning, until lightly charred and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer to the work surface and let rest for 5 minutes.

2 whole cloves One 3-inch cinnamon stick CHICKEN

1 Tbsp. sorghum syrup or molasses Kosher salt and pepper

6. In a bowl, toss the arugula with 1 tablespoon of the peach pickling liquid and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange the salad, chicken and grilled peaches on a platter and serve.

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 lbs.) ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extravirgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

WINE Fruit-rich Gamay: 2014

Jean-Marc Burgaud Château de Thulon Beaujolais Villages.

¼ cup each chopped parsley, basil and tarragon

1. Pickle the peaches Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a sharp paring knife, mark an X on the bottom of each peach. Add the peaches to the saucepan and blanch until the skins start to peel away, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the peaches to the ice bath and let cool completely. Peel, halve and pit the peaches and transfer to a large heatproof bowl.

Wipe out the saucepan.

2. Peel and chop the peaches.

Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape into a large bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

3. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. In the medium saucepan, simmer the cream with the sugar, salt and the vanilla bean and seeds over moderate heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly stream half of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

Strain the custard through a fine sieve set over a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the chilled buttermilk-peach mixture.

Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours.

1½ lbs. peaches (about 6 small), plus sliced peaches for serving

4. Working in 2 batches, freeze the ice cream base in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into plastic containers and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve the ice cream topped with sliced peaches.

—Lisa Donovan

1 cup farm-fresh buttermilk

MAKE AHEAD The ice cream

Peach-Buttermilk Ice Cream

4 cups arugula, thick stems discarded

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a sharp paring knife, mark an X on the bottom of each peach. Add the peaches to the saucepan and blanch until the skins start to peel away, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the peaches to the ice bath and let cool completely. Wipe out the saucepan.

Active 40 min; Total 1 hr 30 min plus 7 hr chilling and freezing Makes 1½ quarts

1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. continued on p. 110

6 large egg yolks 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup sugar 1/8 tsp. kosher salt 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped

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This amazing peach ice cream from pastry chef Lisa Donovan gets its refreshing tang from buttermilk.