PEACHES ARE IN season in early summer in the Valley (and in late summer in Southern Arizona), and nothing is better than the juicy fruit fresh from the tree. Local peach growers offer several different low-chill-hour varieties including yellow peaches such as Desert Gold, Earligrand, Flordaprince, Flordaking, Springcrest and donut (small flat) peaches, and white peaches such as Babcock and Snow Angel.

For drinks, I tend to use yellow peaches as they have more tang than white peaches, which tend to be super sweet, but without acid. But white peaches also can be good in drinks if I’m getting the acid from other ingredients and just want a “sweet peach” flavor.

If you are growing peaches and have plenty to spare, chop them and freeze them. They hold up really well in the freezer and can be blended up into frozen drinks and smoothies or used to make a summery sorbet.