In place of apples and pears, try serving summer fruits like peaches, nectarines and plums with cheese for a sophisticated picnic or dessert. Plums complement strong, salty cheeses like Roquefort and Stilton. Peaches pair well with delicate goat's milk cheeses that set off their floral freshness, fine quality Cheddar and fontina. Nectarines' complex flavors can stand up to full-bodied spicy cheeses like a creamy Muenster.

The scoop on ice cream fans

Distinct personalities correspond with favorite ice cream flavors, according to a study conducted for Edy's Grand Ice Cream.

* Vanilla: colorful, impulsive risk-takers who set high goals and have high expectations of themselves; enjoy close family relationships.

* Double chocolate chunk: lively, creative, dramatic, charming, enthusiastic, the life of the party. Chocolate fans enjoy being the center of attention and can become bored with the usual routine.

* Butter pecan: orderly, perfectionistic, careful, detail-oriented, conscientious, ethical, fiscally conservative. Competitive, aggressive in sports, the "take charge" type of personality.

* Banana cream pie: easygoing, well-adjusted, generous, honest and empathetic.

* Strawberries and cream: Shy yet emotionally robust, skeptical, detail-oriented, opinionated, introverted and self-critical.

* Chocolate chip: Generous, competitive and accomplished; charming, ambitious and competent.

Pub Date: 7/08/98