grilled peaches and feta

Last Saturday, I drove up to Los Angeles for a barbecue at Panayiota's. Pany is a close friend from college. I found a clean corner of the countertop to place my gift of a six-pack of Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde Ale. After popping the cap off of one and catching the foam as it rose to to the top of the bottleneck, I cozied up to the corner nook of the wall--all-the-while watching Pany and her roommates drop balsamic vinegar and olive oil over tender pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes. Pany's roommate turned her attention to another task. She thrusted the oven door closed with an inevitable bang, and we all shared cheery smiles as the warm scent of blueberry muffins stretched across the kitchen.

Time passed, stories came alive again, and the sun began to set. After we all devoured barbecued chicken kebabs soaked in yogurt and then wrapped in pita bread, it was time for dessert. Pany's boyfriend David fired up the grill for another round. He covered it with peach halves. The slather of butter melted off of the peaches and dripped onto the coals, leaving a treat of buttery aroma to rise with the flames. Once cooked, the peach halves were sprinkled with feta that had been dabbled with a dash of nutmeg. My fork pushed through the tender peach and squeezed into the feta atop it. It was a rather savory dessert, and it would be divine with dark lettuce leaves and a drizzle of vinegarette. The combination of flavors from peaches and feta create a new dimension in the art of mixing fruit and cheese. Thank you, Pany, for sharing such wonderful ways of seeing the world!