Peach tips

• To determine ripeness, look for peaches with a creamy or golden undertone (rather than green). A rosy "blush" on a peach will differ with the variety of peach, so it's not a good indicator of ripeness. A ripe peach will have a strong fruity aroma and give slightly to gentle pressure.

• If you're buying supermarket peaches from California, they will need to be ripened at home. Place them in a loosely closed paper bag and keep at room temperature. Check the progress daily. Peaches release ethylene gas, which promotes ripening. Don't store unripe peaches in the refrigerator; they won't ripen.

• One pound of medium peaches will yield about 2 cups of sliced peaches.

• To peel peaches, score a small X at the base of each peach with a paring knife. Lower them into a pan of boiling water with a slotted spoon. Wait for 1-2 minutes until their skins loosen, and then transfer the peaches to a bowl of ice water. Let them stand about 1 minute. Starting from the X, pull at the skin; it will usually slip right off.

• Once cut, peaches quickly darken. To prevent browning, dip fresh-cut peaches into a mixture of 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; or sprinkle with pineapple or orange juice. This also prevents browning if you're freezing fresh peaches for later use. You may have to add a little sugar to make up for the tartness of the juice.

• "Freestone" peaches are most popular for baking, canning and freezing, because the flesh pulls away easily from the stone, or pit. With "clingstone" peaches, the flesh "clings" to the stone and is difficult to remove.

SOURCE: "Peach 101: Recipes Your Mother Never Told You About"; California Tree Fruit Agreement; and "American Classics" by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine.