Just Desserts.(Brief Article)(Recipe)

Put a happy ending on your summer meals with these easy, fruity recipes

When I was younger, dessert time in the summer meant keeping an ear out for the jingling bells of the ice cream man. I'd run out the front door clutching the dollar bill that I'd been holding onto all day and stare at the seemingly endless choices of frozen delights until I finally made a decision. And it was always the same: watermelon or lemon Italian ice (eaten with a flat wooden spoon), a chocolate and vanilla-swirl ice cream cup or a red, white and blue-layered rocket-shaped Popsicle. Funny how things change. Now I would be terrified to put an electric blue ice pop in my mouth for fear of all the chemicals and artificial colors. But perhaps even more important than that, I've learned that one simply has to look to nature for the best summer desserts.

After all, what's more satisfying on a hot, humid day than a big, cold slice of juicy watermelon? Not only is it sweet and thirst quenching, but it also offers more lycopene than tomatoes. (But let's face it, we eat watermelon for the taste, not because it's good for us!)

Big, juicy Georgia peaches are another natural goodie, and so much can be done with them. They can be made into pies, crisps, muffins, preserves, served with cream or, my favorite, just eaten plain. Another use for peaches is in a white wine sangria. Just add some sliced peaches to a pitcher of fruity white wine and some seltzer for a delicious summer cocktail.

And then there are strawberries ... big, juicy red berries that can be eaten in so many,ways, from dipped in sugar to baked in pies and shortcakes. One of the best ways to bring out the sweetness of the berries is to saute them with balsamic vinegar. The first time I tried this, I had absolutely no interest--it sounded like a terrible combination to me. But ingredients like strawberries cooked in brown sugar, butter, balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper, served over vanilla ice cream--harmonized incredibly. The sweet creaminess of the ice cream brought out the sharp tang and tartness of the vinegar and strawberries. The black pepper added another layer to it all. My hat's off to whoever it was that thought of this unusual, but so delicious, combination.

Perhaps the best part of using summer fruits in desserts is that it doesn't need to be complicated. At your next dinner party, try serving a big bowl of black cherries with some dark chocolate, or a simple but elegant tray of a variety of fruits and dessert cheeses.

Light Lemon Cake with Raspberry Sauce