Peach

Choose one that gives slightly when you press it gently near the stem and smells sweet. A peach that is hard and scentless can ripen at room temperature; avoid fruit with bruises or wet, mouldy patches.

Put firm peaches in a paper bag at room temperature, folding the top loosely; check them daily, as they can soften quickly. Add a ripe banana or apple to speed things up, then move ripe peaches to the fridge.

No: the skin is edible, so simply rinse and dry the peach. For a smooth texture in a purée or tart, score a small cross in the base, dip the peach in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then cool it in cold water and peel.

Keep ripe peaches in the fridge and eat them within a few days; bring them towards room temperature before eating for a more fragrant flavour. Store unripe peaches on the worktop, not in the fridge, until they soften.

Yes. Halve and stone them, then freeze the pieces in a single layer on a tray before packing them into a sealed container. A little lemon juice helps limit browning; use frozen peach in smoothies, crumbles or sauces.

Peaches pair well with yoghurt, oats, almonds, soft cheese and savoury flavours such as basil or cured ham. Use them in a peach melba with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce, or grill halved peaches cut-side down for a few minutes until lightly charred.

They are forms of the same species, but peaches have fuzzy skin while nectarines have smooth skin. Per 100 g, peaches have 30 kcal and nectarines 44 kcal in the comparison data.

No: remove and discard the hard stone, and do not crack it open to eat the kernel. The stone is a choking hazard, especially for young children; serve them peach in soft, age-appropriate pieces with the stone removed.