Peach

Choose one that smells fragrant and gives slightly when you press it gently near the stem. A peach that is hard and has little scent needs more time to ripen.

Leave firm peaches at room temperature, ideally in a single layer. To speed things up, put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana; check daily and move them to the fridge once soft and fragrant.

Keep unripe peaches at room temperature so they can ripen. Once ripe, refrigerate them and eat within a few days; bring them back to room temperature before eating for a fuller flavour.

Cut a small cross in the skin at the base, lower the peach into boiling water for about 30 seconds, then transfer it to cold water. The skin should slip off; if it does not, blanch it briefly again.

Yes. Halve and stone ripe but firm peaches, brush the cut sides lightly with oil, then grill cut-side down over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, until marked and just softened. They are good with yoghurt or alongside grilled halloumi.

Yes. Stone and slice them, then freeze the slices in a single layer on a tray; once firm, transfer them to a sealed freezer container. They work well in smoothies, baking and cooked fruit desserts after thawing.

Use sliced peaches in a fruit salad or crumble, or pair them with raspberries, yoghurt and oats. For a savoury dish, combine them with tomato, basil and mozzarella in a salad.

They are closely related forms of the same species: peaches have fuzzy skin, while nectarines have smooth skin. You can usually swap one for the other in recipes without changing the method.