teenagers on holiday and french peach tarts

        

Our short break in the South was spontaneous, hilarious and exactly what I needed after a long summer and before a busy fall.

Less than  a week before we left, I was still searching for somewhere to stay for ... me .... my dear husband ..... our four children ..... their friends .... and two dogs!!  YUP!

This holiday was meant to be.... as a few days before our leaving date, a huge house materialised, complete with a ton of bedrooms, a pool, space for the dogs to run around, easy access to a sleepy little village and bikes for everyone.  For a week we forgot about internet (well almost) forgot about the news, practically forgot about the car, and wandered from pool to table to river to pool to table in a happy haze.

If you are feeling weary, I can recommend no better remedy than heading off with a bunch of youngsters aged between 15 and 21. 

Why was it such a good idea to holiday with teenagers?  

Because they just wanted to relax. 

They liked to smile and laugh the whole time.  

They were not picky - about anything! 

They got up late, which meant I could have a first breakfast and cup of tea alone on the terrace MMMM....

They listened to a most eclectic selection of music, and the house was filled with 

jazz, rap, reggae, rock and classical airs all day long

They let me beat them at cards and at tennis! (OK so they are very polite kids)

and whatever I put on the table was immediately devoured! 

Which brings me neatly around to a favourite summertime dessert

LE peach tart, a feast for the eyes, and super quick and easy to put together.

These are more photos taken by Ella, great pictures in a not so pretty baking tin, plus the tart was left a few minutes too long in the oven, but hey!  these things happen... and there was definitely no tart left by the end of the meal so it can't have been that bad!

To make a peach tart for a bunch of hungry teenagers, first make a delicious sweet pastry, I'm sure you have your favourite recipe, I like mine rich in butter, sugar and maybe some ground almonds.

If you are feeling like a saint, you'll blind-bake your pastry base.  This is a good investment of time, because the peach gets so juicy, if the pastry isn't pre-cooked, it will just go soggy.

While the pastry is in the oven, pour yourself a glass of wine, press PLAY on anything by Bob Marley and wash and slice your peaches.  I don't even skin them, because the fruit looks prettier with the skin still on (even if you go for this year's fashionable char-grilled look !!)

Take the pastry out of the oven , choose another CD,  sprinkle a little sugar over the base, quickly arrange the slices of peach, sprinkle more sugar and pop the whole lot into the oven.

Keep an eye on the tart  because there is a danger of it - ahem - caramelising.  I'd say about half a CD and two glasses of wine and the tart will be done!

Voilà  - I hope you also have some happy carefree moments to remember from the summer.  Thank you for reading me!