Instructions

1. Shop at a farmers' market for the ripest and fleshiest peaches possible. Most likely the fruit was handpicked a day or so earlier. Talk to the farmer about the different characteristics.

2. Smell the peach. Is it perfumey and sweet-scented?

3. Inspect the peach's surface. The skin shouldn't be bruised in any way; it should have a soft, downy covering of white fuzz; and it should be streaked with both pink and yellow.

4. Taste both white and yellow peaches. Most say the spectacular flavor of white peaches is where it's at, but your definition of perfection will depend on your own taste buds.

5. Eat that exquisite peach as soon as you get it home. Or savor peaches throughout the year, by bottling into preserves or chutney.