Peaches are my favorite fruit. I look forward to finding them at the farmer’s market every summer. Especially the super sweet and juicy ones that I can devour over the kitchen sink. My mom said she thinks it’s because she ate lot of it when she was pregnant with me. If that’s true, my son will probably come out with a peach in his hands.

Aside from its great taste, peaches are great because they are so versatile. You can slice them up for fruit salads or use them in pies and cakes. When it comes to baking, I like to use yellow peaches that are slightly firmer and tarter. I just think their color and texture holds up better in the oven.

I took the trouble of peeling the peaches for this recipe. I did it the same way I peel tomatoes. Dump the peaches in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds and plunge them in a ice water bath to cool off.  The skin should come off fairly easily. I don’t like the texture of the fuzzy peach skin in a dessert, but if you want to save some time, feel free to leave it on.

It took me a while to figure out the differences between a cobbler, a crumble and a crisp. They are all desserts made of baked fruits meant to be served warm. The topping of a cobbler is doughier like a flaky biscuit. A crisp has a thinner and crunchier topping usually made out of oats. A crumble, which is my favorite, is somewhere in between.

The topping for this crumble is universal. It is buttery and crispy with a hint of nuttiness from the almond. You can use it with any combination of fruits. I like peaches and blueberries, nectarines and strawberries, apples and cranberries. Experiment with different ingredients as the seasons go by. Serve it warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and you will have a rustic and comforting dessert all year long.

• All-purpose flour, 2/3 cup
• Rolled oats, 2/3 cup
• Sliced almonds, 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
• Fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon
• Unsalted butter, 1 stick (1/2 cup), chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes