Mom made this up from what she had on hand one night; take for granted that the measurements are inexact. Basically, toss in as much as you need until the mixture looks right to you. Mom also talked about making this dessert with a splash of peach liqueur or schnapps added to the sauce, or maybe trying a cherry version with fresh pitted cherries and kirsch, and using almond flavoring instead of the vanilla.

• Fresh peaches, peeled and sliced – one per serving, plus one extra (or substitute other fruit)
• Lemon juice
• Pound cake – one slice per serving
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar per serving
• 1 tablespoon butter per serving
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla
• Butter for sautéing

Slice one piece of pound cake for each person; set aside. Chop one of the peaches finely; drain and reserve juice. As you slice the rest of the peaches, save all the juice you can. Sprinkle the sliced peaches with lemon juice (so they won’t brown) and set aside.

Pour all the reserved juice into a medium saucepan. Add butter and sugar to saucepan, and heat on medium until the butter is melted. Continue to simmer until the sauce reduces and is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly; then add sliced peaches and toss them in the sauce.

Whip the heavy cream on high speed. When it begins to thicken, add at least 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and then add the finely chopped peach. Beat until the cream forms soft peaks.

In a new skillet, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter. Sauté pound cake slices in the butter until they are lightly toasted. When done, put one slice of pound cake on each dessert plate, top with the sauced sliced peaches and the whipped cream, and serve immediately.