The availability of stone fruit is one my favorite things about summer. In particular, I’m a huge fan of nectarines and usually eat them sliced and tossed in honey. I decided to take a break from my nectarine routine and elevate their flavor with a simple syrup. If you’ve never made one before, simple syrups couldn’t be easier to put together. Simply combine equal parts sugar and water over medium heat. It’s ready when the sugar dissolves, and the whole thing comes to a boil. Simple syrups can then be jazzed up with a variety of aromatics. In this particular recipe, I used ginger and mint.

This recipe works well as is, but I tried it for lunch today with a sprinkle of cinnamon, which added another layer of warmth to this special dish. I think it would also be great with a dollop of Greek yogurt flavored with honey. In my opinion, this is just the sort of quick side dish that works perfectly as a sweet snack to keep in your fridge or as an addition to an outdoor bbq with friends. It’s very forgiving and actually tastes even better with time.

Nectarines with Ginger and Mint

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 nectarines, sliced

1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced into thick rounds

1 sprig of mint

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar over medium high heat. Stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar dissolves, and it comes to bubble. Pull the mixture off the heat and add the mint and ginger. Let the flavors steep together for at least five minutes.

When the simple syrup has cooled, add it to the sliced nectarines, removing the ginger and mint. At this point, the fruit should sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It will taste great at this point, but for maximum flavor, let it sit overnight.