Peach & Lemon-Thyme Panna Cotta

My house has been a central point for my friends. Butchie lived there before I moved in. I actually have her old room. My friend Thelma had the room at the end of the hall. I'd been visiting that house for a year before I moved into it. Thelma moved out, then Butchie moved out, then I moved in and now I'm moving out. It's the end of an era for us. That house has been a part of us for five years. Our generation is growing up and moving on to rented rooms in Adams Morgan, high rise apartments in Dupont and townhouses in Anacostia.

Butchie came over Monday night and silly Thelma had other things to do. I realized today that Monday could have been our last baking night in Tenleytown. No more baked goods being eaten on the wraparound porch, chatting about life and watching fireflies. It's been an oasis in chaotic DC: lush, green, and peaceful. It's been our 'giving tree.' We'll have a farewell evening there.  In a way, we owe the house that much. We're actually saying goodbye for good this time.

So, for the second-to-last time, here is the recipe from baking night in Tenleytown. Enjoy....preferably on a porch with a few close friends.

Peach & Lemon-Thyme Panna Cotta

adapted from Epicurious

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
2 tablespoons water
2 cups heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mild honey
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon-thyme leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
3 peaches, peeled if desired, pitted, and thinly sliced

Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small heavy saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Stir in cream and salt, then heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring, until gelatin has dissolved.

Whisk honey and almond extract into the cream mixture.

Pour mixture into 4 small bowls and chill, covered, until set, at least 8 hours.

Mince lemon thyme with sugar, then toss with peaches. Let macerate, stirring occasionally, at room temperature 20 minutes. While peaches macerate, let panna cotta stand at room temperature.

Top bowls of panna cotta with peaches and their juice. Drizzle with additional honey if desired.

Peach Lemon Thyme Ice Cream

A refreshing taste of summer! Sweet cream filled with fresh white peaches brightened by thyme and lemon!

I am so glad that the weekend is over for so many reasons. First of all, Butchie had to work late and missed baking night. So there will be no snarchy comments added to this post.  Secondly, and most happy for me is that this weekend I will be in KC! The weekend being over means I am one day closer to Friday afternoon and finally getting to visit Stephen! We've only been apart for two broken bones,  one surgery, four long distance dates, and two months. It's been too long!!! Just a few more days! Be looking forward to the post about the trip! He's got a conference on Saturday (seriously)  and to keep me company while he's in Wichita I've got three ice cream shops, a chocolate shop, and two BBQ joints I plan to check out... and a scale I plan to ignore upon my return.

Another happy reason that the weekend is over is that I can put a rather "Bad Jana" moment behind me. I went to a party with some friends, and even with an opening like that I can guarantee this story is not ending at all how you might think. You know those parties where there is really only one person excited about doing karaoke but they don't get the hint that nobody else is feeling it? That is painful, and still not as painful as the story I am about to tell you, which I'm sorry to say, does not involve my singing Karaoke. 

I asked a friend to grab me a cup of ice cream. Second, painful moment: I haven't had store bought ice cream at all this year. I forgot that it has no flavor and that there is a weird film it leaves in your mouth. But, being the finishing school drop out that I am, I stick my gum to side of cup and make a sad attempt at a store bought sugar fix. I set down my cup and continue with the conversation with my friend Brandon about how much we are just loving the Disney Princess Songs Karaoke (not kidding, it kind of felt like a five-year-old's birthday party). Then I realize that some guy had picked up my cup by mistake to go get more filmy ice cream....while Brandon and I stare in horror. He's going to realize it right? He doesn't realize that's NOT his glass? Oh I can't watch this...and I proceed to bury my head behind Brandon as he stares shamelessly on. The cup is now filled with mint ice cream, with a little that fell over the edge. The guy goes to lick the ice cream off the side of his cup.....

The next five minutes can be summed up with: "You two are horrible people! You saw I had the glass with gum on it and you didn't say anything?!?!?! You couldn't have done a little shout out to me? Warn me? You just sat there and watched while I licked someone else's gum!" 

I am a horrible person. I just sat there and laughed for five minutes to the point that I couldn't breathe. Between bad ice cream and worse karaoke and Disney Princess Songs....it just.....we just....let our inner children come out to play. They thought it was really really funny. Some people don't really care about germy stuff like that...this guy is a little more on the germaphobic side. Oopsie! If it were me, I'd have made his reaction look tame. So gross.

Between no Butchie, bad ice cream, worse karaoke and a chance encounter with germaphobics anonymous........I needed some REAL ice cream. Sweet, happy, yummy ice cream, made from fresh ingredients by hand with no film, no gum, and no Disney Princesses.

Enjoy! And as always, when you're at a party check your cup for gum! You too can prevent germ sharing!

Peach Lemon Thyme Ice Cream

3 peaches, blanched or not, cut into small pieces (I prefer white peaches)
1 tsp lemon flavoring
4 sprigs thyme
1 egg
Scant 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cream

In a food processor combine the peaches, thyme and lemon flavoring. Pulse until smooth. 

In a stand mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat for one minute until light and fluffy. Gently mix in the cream, milk and peach puree. 

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.