Peaches and nectarines are everywhere at the farmer’s market these days, a sure signal that summer is around the corner. To celebrate the warmer weather and longer nights I invited a few friends over last week for some outdoor, Italian-style grilling . My friend Meredith always comes up with neat salads and bites to share and for this party she brought over her peach bruschetta recipe, which was a hit with the crowd. So being the good friend that I am, I’m stealing Meredith’s recipe and taking all of the credit.

Just kidding. All of the credit for this one goes to Meredith and I am merely the one with the website to get this recipe out into cyberspace. But it does support my theory that the best recipes don’t come from cookbooks; they arrive in your life through friends and family. Good recipes and good food should be memorable. There should be a story behind it, whether it’s a neat technique that your mom used to use or an interesting anecdote that your local farmer told you at the market. If you want to be a better cook or enjoy your food more, look for the stories and bring your head, hands and heart into the kitchen…

He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist. ~ Assisi

Peach & Nectarine Bruschetta
(serves 4 as appetizer)

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ loaf of whole wheat bread (walnut if you can get it) or sourdough
• 2 peaches
• 2 nectarines
• ¼ pound blue cheese

Turn on the broil function of your oven.

Add balsamic vinegar to a small pot set over medium-high heat. Cook until reduce by about half – the vinegar should thicken and look like syrup. Remove from heat, pour into a glass container and allow to cool at room temperature.

Roughly chop the peaches and nectarines into small pieces. Crumble the blue cheese in a small bowl.
Slice the loaf of bread into thin rounds (about ¼ inch thick). Place on a cookie sheet and brush the slices with olive oil. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes; you want the slices to slightly brown so watch them carefully to prevent burning. Remove the slices from the oven and place on a cutting board.

To assemble the bruschetta, brush each slice with the balsamic reduction and then top with the fruit and crumbled blue cheese. Return to the cookie sheet and place under the broil again to warm the fruit and melt the blue cheese (about 1-2 minutes). Serve immediately.