The appetizer inspired by summer, this Peach & Basil Crostini will become a go-to because it’s not only easy and will impress but also delicious!

I’m from the Midwest and while I love a good potato salad or ham and cheese pinwheel or chips and salsa I can almost guarantee that one of those will be at any get-together or potluck. Granted, right now there aren’t too many of those but my point is that bringing this Peach & Basil Crostini appetizer will definitely set you apart.

The combination of the sweetness of the peach with the mild flavor from the mozzarella cheese, basil, and tangy but sweet punch from the balsamic glaze and honey will remind you of summer and the color combo of this dish will brighten up any dinner party.

How to pick the best peach

The starch in peaches break down into glucose making them sweeter as they ripen. Local peaches were likely picked closer to when they are ripe. Peaches that have to be shipped may be picked when they are underripe. Look for a peach that is vibrant in color and has a slight give at the shoulder and tip (where the stem was) when squeezed. If you are wanting to eat the peaches over a few days buy some that are slightly underripe and allow them to sit out on the counter to ripen until you are ready to eat.

Along with picking a ripe peach, knowing what type to pick is also important. Peaches come in two main flesh tones: white and yellow. Yellow peaches are the most common and are great for eating raw or baking. White peaches have a pale yellow hue. They tend to be slightly sweeter and lower in acidity than yellow peaches. Stick to eating these raw as they don’t hold up as well when baked.

Growing basil

Basil has been the rockstar of my garden for the past few years. It’s easy to grow and can be used in a wide variety of dishes. You can start basil from starter seeds indoors but I find it easier to wait to plant until after the last frost in the spring. I have several raised beds and will plant seeds at different times throughout the summer. You can also buy basil as a starter from your local garden supplier but I prefer to grow it from seeds as it produces more and is more affordable- and pretty easy!

Basil does well in containers as long as it has well-drained soil. It also likes a spot with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. The biggest issue I’ve had with basil is squirrels digging in my raised beds right after seeding them. This year I used two different methods to keep them out that worked pretty well. One was just sprinkling cayenne pepper around the border of the raised bed. The other was placing a chicken wire frame over the bed so the sun and water could still get in but keep the squirrels out!