How Dallas chefs are celebrating this year’s amazing local peach crop

It’s summer in Texas, and that means juicy local peaches are cropping up on menus across the area on everything from salads and starters to desserts and cocktails. Chefs are having fun developing new savory and sweet flavor combinations.

At Fireside Pies, Joe Bozarth, senior operations and culinary manager, created a few dishes for their annual Peach Fest. "Last year we decided to really celebrate peaches and let them take over our menu a bit," he says. "It got a great response, so we are adding a couple more items this year."

On the menu now is a Roasted Peach and Burrata Salad with arugula and candied pecans, a Smoked Ham & Peach Pizza Pie, a Peach Market Crisp for dessert, and a Tito’s Peach Basil Gimlet.

Fireside Pies gets their peaches from Cooper Farms in Fairfield, and  staff members have visited the farm and picked peaches themselves.

“Local is always the first option,” Bozarth says.

The pie features ham, sliced peaches, jalapenos and smoked mozzarella, finished with a peach chow-chow (a traditional fruit relish).

“The peaches are so sweet, so I found that with our woodfire oven, anything with smoke seems to enhance the flavor,” he says. “The smoked ham and smoked mozzarella really bring out peaches.”

The peaches for the salad are roasted in cast iron, and pair well with the bitterness of the arugula and the creaminess of the mozzarella, Bozarth adds.

Peach Fest items are available through July 6 at Fireside Pies' four area locations. Proceeds are donated to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. firesidepies.com.

Here’s what other area chefs are doing with peaches at their restaurants:

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Bisous Bisous Patisserie: Chef Andrea Meyer buys peaches at Good Local Markets (Baugh Farms, Peachy Page Farm, Winona Orchards, Larken Farms and Alpha Omega Acres) for a peach almond streusel croissant and a peaches and cream parfait. 3700 McKinney Ave. Suite 150, Dallas. 214-613-3570. bisous-bisous.com.

Blind Butcher: Chef/owner Oliver Sitrin gets his peaches from Cooper Farms in Fairfield. This season he's got Ron's Local salad on the menu, made with the peaches, Texas hydroponic butter lettuce and spinach, shaved red onion, sunflower seeds and lemon poppyseed dressing. 1919 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 214-887-0000. theblindbutcher.com.

Goodfriend Beer Garden and Burger House: Chef Zach Brown has a seasonal salad on the menu right now that features peaches from Efurd Orchards in Pittsburg, Texas (delivered by Comeback Creek Farm), along with mixed greens, queso fresco, fried jalapeño, and buttermilk dressing. 1154 Peavy Road, Dallas. 214-324-3335. goodfrienddallas.com.

The Grape Restaurant: Chef Sarah Snow uses Efurd Orchards as well. Her Jalapeño Grits Agnolotti includes creamed corn and a Texas peach relish. She also has a dessert: A Sticky Pecan Bread Pudding (made with Bisous Bisous Patisserie croissants) with macerated peaches and bourbon ice cream. 2808 Greenville Ave., Dallas. 214-828-1981. thegraperestaurant.com.

18th & Vine: Owner/pitmaster Matt Dallman and chef Scott Gottlich source their peaches from a variety of farms, depending on the week: Cooper Farms, Lightsey Farms in Mexia, and Lemley's in Canton, and they're always in the fried pies. 4100 Maple Ave. 214-443-8335. 18thandvinebbq.com.

Kitchen LTO: Chef Nick Amoriello is using peaches from Cooper Farms in a variety of dishes this season: Ham and Cheese starter dish with peaches, Benton's ham, honey and local cheese; the Pork Belly entree with peach puree, Brussels sprouts, smoked mushrooms and a South Carolina barbecue vinaigrette; and new summer dessert, Peaches and Cream, with bourbon-soaked peaches and ginger snap "soil." 3011 Gulden Ln #108, Dallas (Trinity Groves). 214-377-0757. kitchenlto.com.

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LARK on the Park: Chefs Melody Bishop and Dennis Kelley get the majority of their peaches from Baugh Farms near Canton and Efurd Orchards, but they head to the Dallas Farmers Market if they need to supplement. They are featuring peaches on salads, starters, mains and desserts, including the Avocado and Stone Fruit Salad with watercress and scallions; the Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop with roasted stone fruit, couscous, watercress, cherry salsa and marcona almonds; a dinner Stone Fruit Salad with arugula, apricots, peaches, housemade ricotta, cherry salsa and mint. They've also got a Texas peach jam that they use on pastry boards and a toast at brunch, as well as a Texas Peach Sorbet. 2015 Woodall Rodgers Freeway. 214-855-5275. larkonthepark.com.

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Meddlesome Moth: Chef Richard Graff has been using Efurd Orchards peaches on various grilled specials as well as the mostarda for The Hungry Farmer charcuterie platter and a peach jam at brunch. 1621 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas. 214-628-7900. mothinthe.net.

Mudhen Meat and Greens: Chef Suki Otsuki's Greens and Grains salad features mixed kale massaged with lemon poppyseed dressing, marinated whole grains, Brazos Valley feta and roasted Texas stone fruit from Efurd Orchards. 900 S. Harwood St., Dallas (at the Dallas Farmers Market). 214-698-7000. mudheninthe.net.

Sprezza: Chef/owner Julian Barsotti and chef Scott Lewis get their peaches from Efurd Orchards and sometimes Lemley's. Right now they've got a Fig and Peach Crumble with Cinnamon Gelato. 4010 Maple Ave., Dallas. 972-807-9388. sprezzadallas.com.

Wayward Sons: Graham Dodds has a Peach Blackberry Cobbler with grass-fed vanilla ice cream featuring peaches from Efurd Orchards. He's also thinking of putting peaches on the Burrata Cheese starter with cranberry walnut crostinis. 3525 Greenville Ave. 214-828-2888. waywarddallas.com. For Dodds' cobbler recipe, see interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/farm-to-table/.