Talk to me of peaches...

The peach, Prunus persica is a summer fruit that originated in China. It is typically soft, sweet and juicy when ripe. The skin is a deep yellow with pink and dark red accents. It has a soft 'fuzzy' or velvety texture. The flesh can be white or deep yellow in colour. There is a stone in the center of the peach that is hard and rough. Inside the stone there is a soft nut that looks like an almond.

If someone who had never eaten a ripe peach asked me to describe what it is like to eat one this is what I would say: It is only worth your while eating a fully ripe peach. You find out if it is ripe by holding it in your hand. It should be at room temperature or even slightly warm. Press gently at the top of the peach near the stalk. If it is ripe it should yield to the touch, like butter out of the fridge. Hold it up to your nose and smell. A ripe peach smells delicate, floral and sweet, with an edge of woody green. It is easy to bite into a ripe peach. In fact if the peach is properly ripe you will be able to crush a piece of it between the roof of your mouth and your tongue. As you bite deeply into the flesh of the peach, you will feel the velvety skin breaking easily and sweet juice will run down the sides of your chin. An explosion of sweetness with a curious tang will seduce your taste buds and you will almost inevitably close your eyes. Ideally you should eat a peach on a warm summers day. It is a wholly sensual experience.