Rachel Roddy White Peach Pairings: No Oil, No Salt, Just Absolute Balance: “Prosciutto or Burrata with Peaches“, TWO KITCHENS pg 15

When Life Gives You Japanese White Peaches…

I came across some Japanese white peaches the other day at the supermarket—small, pale, and delicate, like they were shy to ripen too brightly under the Tokyo summer light. Unlike their golden cousins, these whisper rather than shout. Their fragrance was soft and floral, somewhere between lychee and pear. I bought a pack, stood still in the kitchen for a moment, holding them like a memory.

Normally, I’d eat them just as they are, fingers sticky and juice dripping. But I remembered a recipe from Two Kitchens by Rachel Roddy, (pg 154) – “Prosciutto or Burrata with Peaches.” That book feels like a textbook of gentle summer logic. Its quiet confidence teaches you not just what to cook, but when to leave things alone.

A Quiet Variation on Rachel Roddy’s Peach Pairings

I didn’t have the precise ingredients Rachel Roddy suggested in her recipe, but that didn’t stop me from leaning into the spirit of her dish. What I love most about her writing is the permission it gives—to trust your palate, your local shop, and your curiosity. So I let the framework guide me, then wandered slightly off the path.

How to Peel Peaches the Gentle Way: Easy Prep, Silk-Smooth Results

This was my first time poaching peaches—just 30 seconds in boiling water, followed by an ice bath. I’d read that a full minute would loosen the skins, but I was nervous about overcooking them. Still, even half a minute was enough. When the skin slipped off like silk, I nearly laughed out loud. The peach stayed firm, its blush intact. There was something quietly meditative about the whole process—like shedding the weight of the day, one warm breath at a time.

Burrata with Peaches

Instead of burrata, I reached for buffalo mozzarella, which turned out to be more than just a backup. Its creaminess had a touch of tang, and once it met the delicate sweetness of the peach, it simply melted in, like a soft whisper. No extra virgin olive oil. No salt. Just that mellow interplay of textures and temperature—cool, ripe fruit and yielding cheese—that made the combination feel quietly luxurious. I realized nothing else was needed. The pairing already said everything.

Prosciutto with peaches

As for the cured meat, I substituted Jamón Ibérico in place of prosciutto. The flavor was deeper, with nutty, earthy undertones, and yet it folded into the peach in an unexpectedly tender way. The fruit brought lightness, almost taming the ham’s intensity, while the ham grounded the fruit’s fragrance. It reminded me of those moments in cooking when ingredients stop competing and start listening to each other.

Reflection: No Oil, No Salt—Just a Summer Apéro in Stillness

💡I usually think I need a drizzle of good olive oil, a pinch of salt, a bit of pepper or mint—especially for that photogenic touch. But not this time. The flavors stood on their own, and it reminded me: not every dish needs embellishment. Especially not at apéro.

💡It wasn’t the textbook version of Rachel’s recipe. But it captured the heart of it—and perhaps that’s the most satisfying part of cooking: when improvisation feels like intuition, and the result still brings quiet joy to the plate.

アペロ：白桃を愛でる日。塩もオイルもいらない絶妙なペアリング

日系スーパーで日本産の白桃を見かけた日、大げさに聞こえるかもしれませんが「人生が白桃を与えてくれた日」だと感じました。肌のようにやわらかいピンク色、ふんわりと香る気配。見ているだけで心がほどけるような果物です。

そのまま食べるのも好きですが、『Two Kitchens』（レイチェル・ロディ著、p154）に載っていたレシピを思い出しました。「桃とブラータ、あるいはプロシュートを合わせる」という、イタリアの食卓のような組み合わせ。とてもシンプルで、でも心に残る提案でした。

今回は手元にブラータもプロシュートもなかったため、代わりにバッファローモッツァレラとイベリコハムを使ってアレンジしました。

• バッファローモッツァレラ：しっかりとしたミルク感と控えめな酸味があり、白桃のジューシーさと香りを優しく引き立ててくれました。何も加えず、そのままで完成された味わいです。
• イベリコハム：ナッツのような深みと野性味があり、白桃の柔らかで甘い風味と自然に寄り添います。強すぎるはずの塩味が、桃の甘さに包まれてまろやかに。まるで静かな対話を交わしているようでした。

オリーブオイルも塩も、ハーブすらも加えず、ただ素材同士の調和に身を委ねる。これほどまでに静かで、穏やかなアペロがあることに、少し驚きました。

そして、もうひとつの小さな発見。

桃を湯むきしたのは今回が初めてでした。本には「1分間茹でて冷水に取る」とありましたが、火の入りすぎを心配して30秒だけ。それでも皮はつるんと剥け、果肉はしっかり。その瞬間、まるで時間が止まったかのように静かで、心まですっと落ち着くようでした。