Every week, Alex Guarnaschelli, host of Alex’s Day Off, shares with readers what she’s eating — whether it’s from the farmers’ market or fresh off the boat, she’ll have you craving everything from comfort food to seasonal produce.

What is it about a peach that is so seductive? They look so juicy to me. When I see them in any market, they shout to me, “Hello! Over here. Dig in!”

But how do you pick out a good one?

1. Don’t be seduced by the brilliant red color that covers a large part of the fruit. That will change from variety to variety of peach. It is actually the yellow or white areas where you should seek a rich color. A deep yellow hue tells the story of a good peach.

Learn how to pick the perfect peach »

Week two of our season-long garden party Summer Fest 2011 welcomes food and garden bloggers to feature garden-to-table recipes and tips. We’ll help you to enjoy all that this season has to offer. Recently, we dove into the world of eggplants. Now ready for the spotlight: peaches.

Remember mealy stone-fruit from the supermarket this winter? No longer. That sweet, juicy, drip-down-your-chin peach is back in season.

You can always showcase fresh peaches in a crowd-pleasing Peach Cobbler. Paula has a highly rated (over 1,000 reviews) version that is the perfect ending to any summer feast. Plus, it only requires 15 minutes’ prep so there’s plenty of time for you to mingle with guests.

If you’re not a fan of sharing your dessert, try Alton’s Individual Peach Upside-Down Cakes and you’ll have a ramekin filled with peaches, ginger and buttermilk all to yourself.

Find more peach recipes after the jump »