6 lg Or 12 small ripe peaches
3 c  Water
2 c  Sugar
Bay Custard Sauce:
1 3/4 c  Milk
2    Bay leaves, fresh if
Possible
1/2 c  Sugar
4    Egg yolks
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
sm Fresh bay leaves (for
Garnish)

To prepare peaches: Drop peaches into large bowl of boiling water &
let stand 2-4 minutes to loosen skins. The riper they are, the less
time this will take. Drain & carefully remove skins. Set peaches
aside. Combine water & sugar in large saucepan & bring to boil over
high heat. Once sugar has dissolved, reduce heat & simmer a few
minutes. Add peaches to syrup & continue to simmer gently until fruit
is tender but not soft, about 15 minutes. Again, time will depend on
ripeness. Remove from heat & cool peaches in syrup.

To prepare sauce: Scald milk with 1 bay leaf & set aside. Combine
sugar & egg yolks in med bowl & beat with whisk or electric beater
until mixture becomes pale yellow & forms a ribbon. Add hot milk
gradually, beating constantly, then pour mixture into nonaluminum
saucepan. Add remaining bay leaf & cook 15-20 minutes over low heat,
stirring constantly, until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do
not let sauce come to boil. As soon as sauce is thick enough, remove
it from heat. Stir briefly, then stir in vanilla. Place piece of
waxed paper directly on surface to prevent skin from forming as sauce
cools. If sauce gets lumpy, strain it. To serve, pour pool of sauce
on each plate. Drain peaches (the syrup can be poured over other
fruit or used to flavor drinks). Set peaches on sauce. Garnish each
peach with fresh bay leaf.

Peaches: