July is peach season.

Nothing says summer like a juicy, refreshing, sweet peach and they're coming in fast and furious right now. We are lucky to have nearby orchards where you can pick your own or you can take the lazy route like I did and get the pre-picked or you can pick some up at your local market! I came home and canned eleven pints for the fall and winter.

Sometimes I just like some cottage cheese and peaches with some French bread for lunch or dinner.

So what to make with the other fresh peaches. Peach Pretzel Salad hmm...or is it dessert? It's gelatin and fruit-that makes it a congealed salad, right? Wait a minute it has cream cheese and whipped topping-maybe that makes it a dessert, right? Actually it's a little bit of both!

This recipe is a deliciously refreshing summer take on the famous spring Strawberry Pretzel Salad. This has always been one of my favorite recipes and although it takes some time to let the layers set up, it's pretty easy to make. Pretzels with their salty savoriness are paired with a little sugar and butter to form a crunchy crust. Then it's a creamy layer of cream cheese, sugar and whipped topping followed by gelatin with fresh peaches. Not only is it beautiful with the orange topping but the flavor and texture are a combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy and fruity.

I used a mixture of half orange gelatin and half peach but you could also use all peach. You can also use canned or frozen peaches if you don't have any fresh. If you use canned, drain and reserve the juice to replace part of the cold water. Chop the peaches up into a small dice and they will distribute more evenly giving each bite some of the peach.

So stock up on peaches while they're fresh off the tree and preserve some for later in the year. While they're here too, make a pan of Peach Pretzel Salad and you have the beginning...or ending of a meal! You decide.

For more information and recipes check out the Seasonal Eating page at bedford.tennessee.edu.