Imagine you’re 5 years old again and it’s the middle of a hot and humid August. An adult you love gives you a ripe peach, still cold from the fridge, each bite dribbling juice down your chin. It’s sweet and it’s perfect.

All these decades later, it’s August again, and it’s stone fruit season. But there’s so much more we can do with these fruits as home cooks. Peaches, nectarines and other stone fruit are a dream to cook and bake. So I turned to pastry chef Adrian Mendoza for ideas because summer will soon be over, and we’ve got to get in as many as possible before they disappear for the year. The University Club’s executive pastry chef shared his recipes for a stunning Peach and Mascarpone Toast, Peach and Blueberry Scones, and Nectarine and Blackberry Hand Pies. You’ll love these, so head over to my latest story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section to learn how to make them.