Just peachy

          Two years into being a big kid with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, it’s becoming ever more apparent that underemployment goes hand in hand with overemployment, that is to say, the reality of underemployment is that you often find yourself overworked. Currently, I am an answerer of telephones, a shaker of faulty vending machines, and a charmer of the local senior citizenry, among other, less glamorous things.... I am comfortably employed at Job #1 where I’m treated well and appreciated to a degree that borders insanity. I have vacation time, and holidays off, and (the Holy Grail) benefits: Health! Dental! Retirement! And in case you’ve forgotten, every Thursday a table of irresistible goodies appears just paces from my desk. Pretty sweet deal. Unfortunately, the people who appreciate my efforts so much are not the ones deciding how much money to put in my paycheck each week. And a mind full of plans with pockets full of little is a disappointing exercise.

Faced with my state of underemployment, I decided to remedy the issue by taking on a second job. Job #2 has different, yet equally appealing merits, but what became immediately apparent was my inability to cope with the sudden and mind-numbing dearth of free time. I knew there would be sacrifices; I was ready for those. What I did not anticipate was the all-encompassing stress that comes along with the knowledge that, according to my newly-acquired Google calendar, I will not have time to do my laundry until approximately 3 ½ weeks from the current date. Baking has gone out the window, along with such things as cleaning, keeping up with correspondence, and maintaining any semblance of sanity. I have been salty (Sorry, Peter). Personal hygiene has been questionable. A change is needed.

          So, after this weekend, I’ll be done with my 7-days-a-week schedule. I’ll continue as usual with Job #1, and Job #2 will very generously keep me on as a substitute to fill in when I have the time. As I look forward to days off, the thing I’m most excited about is having time to cook and bake and eat real food that I’ve made in my own kitchen. I am lost without the sense of stability gleaned from the process of preparing a meal, or a snack, or a treat of some kind. Sometimes food is a comfort, but what I’m realizing (after more take-out purchases than I can justify) is that the better part of that comfort is actually in the making and the sharing. The pleasure of food doesn’t come from the eating alone. Performing these tasks is nourishing; it puts my mind at ease, and gives me time to gather up my thoughts before, or during, or after a busy day. It connects me to things that are enormously important to me -- the seasons, the family and friends I might be lucky enough to share a meal with, and even the friends and strangers who contribute to I Would Eat That Off A Squirrel as writers and readers.

In the midst of being crabby and feeling sorry for myself (these are my least favorite things to be), I decided that it was time to make the pie I had intended to try a few months ago. Except, I knew that if I made a pie crust, I would lose steam before it was time to cut the fruit and roll out the dough and put the whole shabang together. What I needed was something not easy as pie, but easier. I found the solution in a recipe I’d peeped in a recent issue of Everyday Food magazine, a great resource if you’re strapped for time but still unwilling to eat like a stereotypical college student. Sliced (unpeeled!) ripe peaches are plopped atop an easy-to-stir-up custard, baked to a light, creamy perfection and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The result is not overly sugary, but emphasizes the flavors and natural sweetness of the last-of-this-season’s peaches. The perfect finish to a long day that was far less than sweet.

Peach Clafouti

Lightly adapted from Everyday Food magazine

5 Eggs

1/2 cup Flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup Sour cream

1 cup Milk

3/4 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 1/4 pounds peaches, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch slices (4 1/2 cups)

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together the eggs and flour in a medium bowl, and then mix in the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt, until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish (I used a Pyrex 13x9 inch casserole pan). Arrange the peaches in an even layer over the custard and bake until the center is set and the edges are lightly browned. Dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm.