A ripe peach tender to the touch, floral and honeyed in the nose, slurpy on first bite is a sensory experience like few others. And that river of nectar flooding the tongue? For a few minutes, I am a hummingbird in flight, buzzing with unbridled joy.

If you can relate, then you know that the way to eat a peach in unadulterated bliss is over the sink just you and the peach having a moment with the juices running down your arms and the faucet at the ready for clean-up duty.

For many a peach lover, baking cobbler, churning ice cream and putting up jam are summertime traditions. Personally, I find the peach so teeth-tingling sweet in its natural state that I crave little adornment. Unless, of course, were going savory.

In fact, that inherent sweetness plays well with big and bold flavors typically reserved for the savory world including fresh basil and mint, chile peppers, onions and ginger root. Peaches like the smoke of charcoal and enjoy being grilled themselves or paired with grilled chicken, pork or shrimp.

Just days ago, I got to see for myself just how far savory I could take the sweet peach. Inspiration came while leafing through my dog-eared copy of Ripe, an ode to fruit by British food writer Nigel Slater.

In his essay on peaches, Slater shares, in his signature notebook style, a recipe for a peach-forward salad amped up with bold and beautiful basil and mint, sweet peppers and a kicky Viet-style dressing of fish sauce, limes and chile peppers.

Slater calls for shredded chicken, which is delightful, but if chicken is neither interesting nor available, the salad will still be a riot of color and flavor. Its that good.

As I built the salad, I added cucumber, a few cherry tomatoes and raw peanuts, along with some backyard romaine to line our plates. My husband envisions a side of rice or rice noodles for the next time. And as long as peaches are gracing farmstand shelves, there will definitely be a next time.

A salad of peaches and herbs (and maybe chicken) with a Viet-style dressing

Adapted from Ripe by Nigel Slater.

Makes 4 servings.

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Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a small bowl, stir together the spices and oil, and rub all over the chicken. Place on a sheet pan or in a baking dish and roast until golden and cooked through, about 30 minutes. (This step can also be done on the grill and can be done in advance.) Remove the oven and let cool while you prep the rest of the salad.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, lime and sugar with a fork until the sugar is dissolved. Add the chile pepper and scallions, stir and set aside under ready to serve. The flavors deepen as the dressing sits.

Slice the peaches in half, remove the pits and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the pepper strips and the herbs. Resist the urge to stir.

Shred or thinly slice the chicken off the bone and add to the peach mixture. Add any of the optional add-ons and gently stir until evenly distributed.

When ready to serve, gradually add half of the dressing, stirring until well coated.

If using the lettuce, lay on a platter or on the bottom of a bowl, then place salad on top. Sprinkle with peanuts, if using, and bring the remaining dressing to the table.

The peach is an ancient Chinese relic, dating to fifth century B.C. when it was mentioned throughout a collection of poetry by Confucius. The peach was highly revered and continues to play an important role in the folklore of the Chinese people. Known as tao, the peach is the most

sacred plant of the Chinese Taoists, and is considered a magic fruit and a symbol of immortality, reflected in the Peach Blossom Spring, an essay by a Chinese poet during the fourth century B.C.

From China, the peach traveled to Persia and then onto Greece, and into the rest of Europe, thanks to peach lover Alexander the Great.

The peach came to Mexico in the early to mid-1500s via Spanish explorers. Throughout the 1600s, the peach traveled north from coastal Georgia and north Florida and was cultivated in the colonies of Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.

First things first: Inhale (with social distancing in mind, of course). If you don't catch a whiff of that signature perfume, move on to the next peach. A ready-to-eat peach should be fragrant and invite you in.

For immediate consumption, choose fruit that has some tactile give, (similar to the fleshy part of your palm), but also that is free of bruises and boo-boos. On the other hand, if a peach is rock hard, it probably has been picked too early often the case for long-distance fruit and should be left behind.

Even for less-than-perfectly-ripe fruit, carefully transport your precious cargo home because it is highly perishable. I remember from my days working a fruit stand how wed have to pay special attention to the peaches on hot days to make sure they did not grow moldy beards.

Once home, keep peaches out of the refrigerator and out of direct sunlight. On the other hand, to buy some time for a ripe peach, stick it in the refrigerator, where it stops ripening. Caveat: Refrigeration invites moisture and shriveling.

Although tempting to place several almost-ripe peaches in a pretty bowl, keep in mind that they can mold even if rubbing up against each other.

Freeze for later

If peach season feels too short, consider freezing a bunch for later. Unlike berries, which can be frozen individually, peaches need a little more processing before the deep freeze. Drop the fruit into boiling water for about 45 seconds then into a bowl of ice water. This helps ease peeling, which is recommended. Once cool, slice in half and remove the pit. Cut each half into two or three pieces and place on a sheet pan to dry. Drizzle a small amount of fresh lemon juice on top and place in freezer until solid. Pack in freezer-safe containers or bags.

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Peaches are now in season; here's a recipe to enjoy the fruit with a savory salad - Fly Magazine