Peachy for the Fourth

When I was a child, the Fourth of July meant potato salad, hot dogs, upside-down cake or strawberry ice cream and sparklers, plus the thrill of watching colorful fireworks shoot into the night sky. In those long-ago days, this event took place in everyone’s back yard. In our neighborhood we pooled our resources so we had a lavish supply of food and a lengthy display of fireworks.

Too often, the pleasure and traditions of our old holidays have been diminished today. This is too bad, because this is one way we can enjoy sharing some of our traditional dishes with others--whether outdoors, picnic-style or around the table.

To view fireworks these days, we have to drive to an exhibition and even then, as in so many other life experiences, we are only distant spectators.

Fortunately, this is not so with cooking. Try this easy-to-make Peach Upside-Down Cake for a taste of the old ways.

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Tips

* The riper a peach is, the easier it will be to peel. Cut a shallow “X” in the bottom of each peach and carefully immerse them in a large pot of boiling water. After about 15 seconds, remove one and try to pull the peel back. If it comes away easily, remove the rest of the peaches with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer and rinse under cold running water before peeling. Keep the pot of water boiling, though, in case you have some peaches that aren’t quite ready to peel.

* This cake can be baked either in the skillet used to caramelize the sugar or in a cake pan. If you use the skillet, make sure it has a metal handle so it won’t melt in the oven. If the handle is plastic, wrap it in two sheets of aluminum foil to protect it. It’s also a good idea to put a jelly roll pan under the cake pan to catch any fruit juices that bubble over the edge. This will make cleanup a lot easier.

* Cream whips easily if you make sure that it and all the utensils you use are ice-cold. Stick the mixing bowl and the whisk or mixer beaters in the freezer for 30 minutes before beating. And remember that the goal is to whip air into the cream. If you use a whisk, be sure to lift the cream slightly as well as mix it. Beat the cream until it forms soft mounds. About 3 tablespoons of sugar should be enough to sweeten a cup of cream.

Peach Upside-Down Cake

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

Four or five peaches should be enough for this recipe. You need enough peach halves to cover the bottom of a 10-inch skillet or cake pan.

CARAMEL TOPPING

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

4 or 5 peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted

* Combine butter, brown sugar and cream in 10-inch skillet, or small saucepan if baking cake in cake pan. Cook over low heat, stirring mixture until butter melts and topping is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. If baking in cake pan, spread mixture over bottom of cake pan. Arrange peach halves in pan, pitted side up, smooth rounded part down (this is the side that will show when cake is served). Put aside and prepare cake batter.

CAKE BATTER

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

* Put shortening in large mixing bowl. Add sugar and use hand-held electric mixer or large spoon to mix shortening and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and vigorously stir mixture until creamy and well-blended.

* Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Don’t worry if mixture is rather dry and crumbly. Add milk all at once and stir until batter is smooth and blended.

* Spread batter evenly over peaches and topping, using spatula to spread batter gently, easing to edge of skillet or pan. Batter will be thin. Remember, when you finish baking cake and turn it upside down, peaches on bottom will be on top of cake.

* Put skillet or pan in 350-degree oven and set timer for 30 minutes. When timer rings, check cake for doneness: It should look golden on top, and when you stick a toothpick in center, toothpick should come out clean. If not, bake another 5 minutes and test again. Remove cake from oven and cool 5 minutes.

* To remove cake from pan, first run a knife around edge of pan. Put plate that is larger than cake over pan. Holding pan and plate firmly, quickly turn pan upside down so cake lands on plate with peaches on top.

* Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

8 servings. Each serving: 424 calories; 365 mg sodium; 81 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.34 gram fiber.