Instructions: A perfectly ripe peach needs nothing more than an open mouth and a chin to dribble its juices down. And its probably best enjoyed that way - eaten out of hand, with a paper towel at the ready.

That kind of peach tastes like summer - and looks like it, too, with its golden flesh surrounding a red areola.

But that kind of peach also is rare, and one that will most likely be found within a days driving distance of the tree where it ripened - minutes for all you lucky folks in Californias Central Valley.

I was reminded of that fact again recently after buying some Central Valley-grown peaches at the supermarket. They looked and smelled great but were peach-sweet only about halfway through the flesh to the pit.

Although feeling slightly deceived, I realize its not the growers fault.

The sugar content of peaches doesnt increase after theyre picked. A peach completely tree-ripened in California - the nations biggest producer - would be too soft by the time it reached supermarkets across the nation.

Nevertheless, the purchase was hardly a waste. Even less-than-perfect peaches can star in a variety of dishes - from desserts such as pie, cobbler and ice cream to savory meat dishes and salads.

The trick is to taste the peaches before you add them to a dish and adjust the amount of sugar called for in a recipe until the desired sweetness is reached. If the peaches already have a tinge of tartness, you may also want to leave out lemon juice if its called for in a recipe.

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