Peaches
A member of the rose family and native to China, the perfectly ripe peach should be fragrant and just soft to the touch.
Peaches are packed with vitamins and minerals and researchers found that they rank high in some types of phytochemicals (so they’re cancer fighting) and have good to excellent antioxidant activity.
Never keep them in the fridge; rather buy them ripe and ready to use. They taste best at room temperature anyway.
Clever ways with peaches
- Fry halved peaches in butter and sugar and serve alongside roast duck or chicken
- Toss peach pieces in a rocket and baby-spinach salad with wafer-thin strips of Parma ham and French green beans
- Serve ripe, fresh peach wedges with Brie or Gorgonzola
- Grill peaches and serve with fresh cherry sauce and a drizzle of amaretto liqueur
- Place sliced peaches in tumblers, top with sweet dessert wine and basil. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.