White peach

Choose one with a sweet fragrance and flesh that gives slightly when you press gently near the stem. The red blush on the skin isn’t a reliable ripeness test; avoid peaches with bruises or very soft patches.

Leave firm peaches at room temperature until they smell fragrant and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Once ripe, keep them in the fridge and eat them soon; chilling slows further softening but can dull their aroma.

No. The skin is edible, so rinse the peach under cold running water and eat it whole, or slice it with the skin on. To peel one for a smooth dessert, dip it in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then cool it in cold water.

Use ripe slices in a pavlova or fruit salad, or serve them in Peach Melba with raspberries and vanilla ice cream. For a warm dessert, halve and stone them, then grill cut-side down for about 3 minutes until lightly marked.

Yes. Stone and slice them, spread the slices on a tray until frozen, then transfer them to a freezer bag. A little lemon juice helps limit browning; use the slices from frozen in smoothies or cooked desserts.

White peaches have fuzzy skin, while white nectarines are smooth-skinned; both have pale flesh and a sweet flavour. White nectarines provide 2.8 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 1.6 g in white peaches.

White peaches tend to taste sweeter and less tangy, while yellow peaches have a more pronounced tartness. Their energy is similar: white peaches provide 35 kcal per 100 g and yellow peaches 38 kcal.