peaches

✿ Peaches are a tasty snack eaten whole, chopped, or sliced.

✿ Add cut peaches to yogurt, cold cereal, or oatmeal to add sweetness and flavor.

✿ Peaches can be mixed into the batter of pancakes, waffles, muffins, or bread.

✿ Grill fresh peach halves for a simple dessert.

■ Keep peaches at room temperature until ripe for best flavor and texture. Ripen peaches in a loosely closed paper bag. Add an apple or banana to speed ripening. Check daily until soft, then eat or refrigerate.

Freestone — the pit falls out easily. These varieties have firm texture, low sugar content, low juiciness, and white or yellow flesh. White flesh peaches may be slightly less sweet and lower in acid than yellow flesh peaches.

❁ Choose peaches that have an even, creamy gold to yellow color. Some varieties have a red blush but it may not always be a sign of ripeness.