Unlike other fruits, peaches will ripen little, if at all, on the kitchen counter, so they should be perfectly ripe when bought. Look for unbruised peaches that have a nice scent and yield to slight finger pressure. Their color is not a good indicator of ripeness, even if crimson; this is a genetic phenomenon.

• Choose the very sweet white-fleshed variety for fruit salads.
• Choose the larger yellow-fleshed variety for baking, roasting in butter, poaching or using in pies, since they stand up better to cooking.
• Choose bush peaches, which are less sweet, to accompany poultry or to poach in Bordeaux.

Can be kept in the refrigerator crisper, though cold kills their flavour.

Freezing: peel, pit and place the halves flat on a baking sheet. Freeze and pack into bags.

Peeling peaches
Carlo Crisci, Le Cerf Restaurant, Switzerland

Using a paring knife, make an incision in the skins of the peaches and immerse the fruit in boiling water for 10 seconds; remove and place into cold water. The skins can then be removed very easily.

Usually associated with desserts, peaches are also marvelous paired with duck, calves' liver and crab. Because of its velvety flesh, it purées well and can be made into sorbets, Bavarian creams, or ice cream.

Suggestions

• Duck breast roasted slowly on its skin served with roast peaches.
• Replace the apples in a strudel with peaches spiced with ginger.
• Poach pears in a verbena infusion.
• Scallop soup with peaches - light whitefish and leek stock, strips of scallops and poached peaches.
• Yogurt and peach flan - In a food processor combine peaches with plain yogurt, honey and gelatin.

Italy - Peach Charlotte
Crush 1 kg peaches with 200 g sugar, 200 g crumbled macaroons and 2 beaten eggs. Line the bottom of a buttered mould with dry cake crumbs; pour the peach mixture on top and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Let cool and serve with peach coulis.