Peaches

Peaches fall into two categories: clingstone and freestone.  In a clingstone peach, the pit clings to the flesh.  Freestone peaches, the most common, have pits that falls away easily.  Peaches range in color from pink-blushed white to gold with red blush.  They are available from May to October.
A red blush on a peach does not indicate ripeness.  The background color should be overall creamy or yellow.  A green background means the peach was picked too soon and will not ripen further.  Buy peaches with unbruised and unwrinkled skin.  Ripen at room temperature in a paper bag.  When soft to the touch and fragrant, store peaches, unwashed, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Check frequently for brown spots.
Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before eating.  Wash peaches and gently rub them with a towel to remove the fuzziness.  The flavor intensifies when warm.