'Tis the season of delicious summer fruits, which can be enjoyed many different ways.
Sweet fragrant peaches, with their furry skin and gorgeous scent, are a real treat to be enjoyed during the summer months.
Roadside stalls have been popping up during the last few weeks selling perfectly ripe sun-warmed Hawkes Bay fruit fresh from the tree, not from the coolroom.
This season, I've enjoyed plump yellow golden queens and a more delicately flavoured white variety while on holiday.
Feasting on fresh peaches means sweet juices dribbling down chins - delicious! Don't leave it too long or you will be disappointed by potentially floury and tasteless offerings on the supermarket shelf. Be sure to factor in a stop to buy fruit from such stalls on the side of the road during any journey this summer.
A ripe peach can be detected from afar - it will be golden with a rosy lustre. Pick one up and give it a sniff - there's no need to squeeze and risk bruising it, as its fragrance will tell you if it is ripe.
While peaches are at their best simply eaten whole or possibly peeled first if their furry skin doesn't excite you, their flavour works well with many others.
They can be poached, grilled or made into a salsa, and can be paired with chicken, duck, octopus, pork, chilli, yoghurt, ginger and/or honey.
Make the most of what else is seasonal; avocado, cucumber, sorrel and mint are all delicious accompaniments in a salad with slices of peach.
Slow roasting in the oven or grilling on the barbecue creates a gorgeous texture and allows you to pair the hot fruit with cream, icecream or mascarpone.
Chef's tip
Peaches taste best at room temperature. If keeping them in the fridge, bring them out at least three hours before serving. Be careful not to store peaches on top of each other because they will easily bruise.
