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The tail end of the stone fruit season is an opportunity not to be missed. Nectarines and peaches in particular are harvested until the end of May. These final weeks offer an abundance of juicy, sun-ripened fruit crying out to be eaten and preserved.

Poached nectarines and peaches are fabulous on their own, with a dash of cream or as a topping for pavlova. Simply halve the fruit and place in a pan, just covered with cold water. Add the kernel from two cracked stones, one cup of sugar and a split vanilla pod. Simmer until the fruit is soft and the skins are falling off. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fruit, kernels and vanilla pod then return the pan to the heat and boil until the juices reduce to a syrup.

To use on a pavlova, top the meringue base with whipped cream then slice the nectarines into segments and scatter on top along with fresh raspberries. Drizzle with cooled syrup before serving. For instructions on how to preserve peaches, click read on below advertisment



href="http://www.notebookmagazine.com/pdf/apr08/preserving_peaches.pdf" target="_blank">here.



Photography: Andrew Lehmann.  Styling: Jane Hann