One of the hardest things for me when I baked professionally was when the first crate of apples arrived. I'm not one who let's go of summer easily. With the bounty of peaches, nectarines, plums, berries, and apricots that I was used to cascading forth at the markets, it's always a challenge for me to refocus on fall fruits and say goodbye to the luscious, nectar-filled fruits of summer.

Here in Paris, we had a variable season in terms of produce, but the end-of-the-season nectarines and fuzzy yellow peaches that I've been snacking on have been amazing. I've been gorging on vivid green Reine Claude plums, seemingly unable to get my fill, and I even lugged home a generous assortment of heirloom tomatoes that I chanced upon, which are not nearly as bountiful at markets here as I wish. And with corn-on-the-cob (sourced in Chinatown) and chilled rosé, I've put together some lovely summer meals to share with friends.

Now that everyone in Paris is back for the rentrée (the period when everyone returns to life as usual), we're gearing up for the fall. I've seen a few sweaters and scarves out there, and the market stalls are filling up with apples, pears, and (thankfully) figs, which are one of my favorite fruits. I don't know if I've quite ready to embrace the brisk weather yet like all those bundled up Parisians, or leave those nectarines behind, so I'm going to pile as many as I can into my market basket this week and make summer last as long as I possibly can. And leave my scarves - and sweaters - at home, as long as I can as well.

Here are some stories and recipes from the blog that were lots of fun - and tasty - to share...

-Le Casque: If you're not wearing a bike helmet, and you're navigating the city streets, you should have one - especially in Paris! (And a beautiful leather backpack, and plain ironing board cover, doesn't hurt to have, either.)

-Peach Shortcake: I arrived home with way, way too many peaches one day, and decided to whip up a batch of buttery biscuits to make shortcake. Served with warm butterscotch sauce, summer doesn't get any better.

-Cornmeal Biscotti: I love the crunch of cornmeal in anything, especially crisp biscotti. Here's a recipe that's perfect for dunking.

-Eggplant Jam: Eggplant? Jam? Yes!

-Les Vacances: I took an amazing vacation in Provence, dining on tomatoes and basil, and the freshest fish imaginable, including one of the creatures of the deep that I'd rather face on my plate than in the water...

I spent the day in the kitchen of one of my favorite chocolatiers in Paris, which I can't wait to share on my site, along with lots of pictures of all his amazing chocolates and pastries. I made a batch of really zippy, garlic-laced pickles whose color (and flavor) really wowed my guests. There's a new shop that's opened in Paris which has treats from one of the tastiest regions in France, which has a shop smack dab in the middle of town now that I'm looking forward to sharing. And a copy of Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones just landed on my desk, a book of ice cream recipes from my friends at the Bi-Rite Creamery in San Francisco, and I've been thumbing through it, trying to decide on a recipe to share with readers.

In the meantime, if you're anything like me, you're not ready to let go of summer quite yet! So that means perhaps there's some homemade ice cream in your future as well? I'm thinking of filling my freezer with everything from Nectarine Sorbet to creamy Peach Ice Cream, to prolong the taste of July and August just a few weeks longer...

-David