8 peach halves, fresh or canned, peeled and well drained
4 oz. light brown sugar
3 oz. orange juice
Juice from ½ lemon
3 oz. sweet butter
1 oz. Grand Marnier
1 oz. Cognac
½ tsp. vanilla extract
8 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Place ice cream in pre-chilled glasses and place in freezer until needed. Place butter in flambe' pan and melt. Add brown sugar and stir until it becomes a smooth syrup. Blend in orange and lemon juice and allow to simmer until sauce thickens and then blend in the Grand Marnier. Add peach halves to the syrup and baste for a few minutes. Flame with the Cognac and pour immediately over the already prepared ice cream. Garnish with whipped cream using a pastry bag with a star tip.

Melt butter in a 2 quart casserole. Remove from heat and blend in the cornstarch. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from stove, add hot asparagus stock and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Add precooked pieces of asparagus.

Beat egg yolks with cream, add to the soup and bring to a boil. Do not overcook or the eggs will separate. Add seasonings and lemon juice. Serve hot and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Start your Christmas Rumtopf now! Celebrate the summer season, take advantage of the inexpensive fruits and berries of the season and begin a delicious condiment or fruit topping. Rumtopf or "Rum Pot" is an Old World tradition using a kaleidoscope of fruits of the season, cured in sugar and rum.

Use only a large thoroughly cleaned and dried two gallon glass jar or stone crock with a lid. You may use any creative combination of ripe firm fruits, (never bruised or over ripe) such as berries, cherries, melons, apricots, peaches, plums or pears. Avoid citrus fruits, banana, kiwi or apples.

Method: Wash fruits gently to remove spray substance, let stand to dry on paper towels. Make sure they are dry. Core or pit fruits before measuring them. The season begins with cherries and strawberries. They make a good foundation for your rumtopf. Sprinkle fruit with 1 ½ cups of sugar, cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer berries into vessel and pour enough rum into the vessel to cover the fruit with about one inch above the fruit line. Cover the vessel with a lid and place in a cool dark place. Stir the mixture gently, from the bottom, every three to four days. As the season progresses, you will add more fruit, sugar and rum in proportion, to cover. If you use melons, remove the rind and seeds and cut them into bite size chunks. When you have fairly filled your container with your selections of fruit, let it mature. The wonderful fruit and rum creation will be ready to be served in November-December, just in time for the holiday season.

3 Cups cherries or strawberries for starter layer
2 cups each, raspberries, gooseberries, current, apricots, peaches, melons, plums and pears.
10 cups super fine sugar (1 ½ cup per layer)
2 Qts white or dark Jamaican rum added as needed to cover each layer of fruit.

Serve the finished sauce over Vanilla Ice Cream or as a topping for fresh fruit salads, accompanied with yogurt. Can be spooned over pound cake, angel food or an earthy cake like gingerbread, making for a delicious dessert.