At Union restaurant, peaches poached in a lusty muscat take vanilla-bean panna cotta to a whole new, luscious level. Fresh mint and a drizzle of mint-infused simple sugar add color and zest.

CALIFORNIA'S CHAMPION of seasonal, regional food said it all. Nothing seems to capture the essence of summer better than a perfectly ripe peach. The luscious juice, the sweet, delicate flesh, the intoxicating aroma . . . Need I say more?

Heavenly peaches grace us with their presence in the height of summer, and we rejoice. A fresh, local peach is nothing like those imported rocks we see the rest of the year. It's worth waiting to buy these gems in season from local farms or markets. Ripe peaches are easily damaged, so the less they travel, the better.

As perfect as they are on their own, peaches make stellar cooked or frozen desserts.

But all chefs agree that ripeness is key. A ripe peach feels heavy, smells seductive and gives in to gentle pressure. Avoid fruit tinged with green; it was picked before its time. The background color should be white or yellow. And don't be fooled by those blushing red beauties. That color implies variety, not ripeness; aroma is the best indicator of that.
 

Union's Poached Peaches Recent recipes in Pacific Northwest Cucumber Soup with Watermelon Gelée

Cousins to apricots, cherries, plums and almonds, peaches are members of the rose family. They're either clingstones — with firm flesh that clings to the pit — or freestones, with soft, juicy flesh that separates easily from the stone. Freestones are the best for eating fresh and for presenting in salads and desserts, while clingstones are generally used for commercial canning.

Originally cultivated in China some 3,000 years ago, the stone fruit made its way to the Middle East, Europe and, later, to this country. We can thank Native Americans for spreading them across North America by planting them wherever they moved. Legend has it that the peach brings health, virility and immortality to those who eat it.

Well, one can always hope. If all else fails, at least the peach's versatility invites experimentation. Peach ice cream, a personal obsession, contrasts summer heat with winter ice, chunky flesh with smooth cream. A summertime moment, frozen, quiet and still. The famous Pêche Melba — vanilla ice cream, peaches and raspberry purée — was created more than 100 years ago by the great French chef Escoffier as a surprise for the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba.

Old-fashioned baked favorites include the simply wonderful double-crusted pie or the biscuit-covered cobbler. When cooked, peaches take on an even more other-worldly quality. The sweet, juicy flesh melts into a thick syrup — nectar of the gods.

In late summer, there's often a fruit crisp or cobbler in my kitchen. One year my best friend from college called to ask for my peach cobbler recipe. I took out a tattered copy of "The Joy of Cooking" and read her the biscuit dough recipe. That was the easy part. But how could I explain the fruit part without seeing, smelling, touching and tasting those peaches in her New Jersey kitchen? How could I advise how much sugar or how much thickener? I couldn't give her a recipe for something I make by eye, by feel, and by taste, a dessert that is different every time because the peaches are always different.

Local chefs this summer are proving that the possibilities for peach treats are endless. Jonathan Sundstrom, chef/owner of the popular Lark restaurant in Capitol Hill, says: "If you use great, ripe fruit, the combinations are almost infinite." He enjoys using the different varieties — white, yellow, doughnut peach, red — with other seasonal produce like raspberries or blackberries to add interest.

This month, Sundstrom has created a too-good-to-be-true-tasting parfait that's layered with peach purée, fresh peaches and raspberries and goat's milk yogurt. He also makes a peach consommé by stewing ripe peaches and adding wild blackberries, peach sorbet and herbal essences like rose geranium or lemon verbena.

On an Italian theme, Cascadia restaurant chef/owner Kerry Sear is offering a poached white peach in grappa with scrumptious vanilla mascarpone.

Ethan Stowell, chef/co-owner of Union restaurant, is a big fan of fruit desserts. He's serving a light creation of wine-poached peaches and panna cotta. "When it's hot, I don't want a heavy chocolate cake that weighs me down like a brick in my stomach," he says. "This dessert is refreshing and clean and perfect for summer."

Ahh, perfect.