Peaches and cream

Cut the peach around the pit, twist apart and remove the stone; taste a slice for sweetness, then peel and slice, halving the slices.

Combine two parts sugar to one part cold water over medium-high heat; once it boils and turns clear, cook exactly 3 minutes. Skip this if the peaches are very sweet.

Add the peaches, stir, and leave on the heat about 1 more minute until it bubbles again; transfer to a bowl to cool.

variation (judged a failure): simmer heavy cream with white sugar about 3 minutes, stir in about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice off the heat, cool, and pour over peaches in glasses; chill. It clashed in texture and dulled the peaches' sweetness.

Optional: reduce leftover peach juices by about half for a drizzle.

Classic: transfer the syruped peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl and add an equal amount of cold, unsweetened heavy cream.

Wrap and refrigerate a few hours so it gets very cold and the cream absorbs the peach flavour; drizzle with the reduced syrup if wished.