Healthy Food Database

You know it's summer when the shops are brimming with delicious peaches. This sweet, juicy stone fruit with it's soft, furry skin originated in China and is today one of the world's favourite fruits. There are a number of varieties of peaches; freestone, where the stone easily comes away from the flesh, and clingstone, where it does not. The flesh can be yellow or white depending on the variety.

Select your peaches very carefully - a ripe peach is a taste sensation, anything less is a major disappointment. Well selected, you will never begrudge the cost. A ripe peach should be fragrant and highly coloured - never green. The skin should be smooth and never shrivelled. Cradle the fruit in your hand and test for some "give". Be careful - they bruise easily. Don't fall into the trap of buying peaches too late in the season - they have usually been cold stored and have powdery, dry flesh.
Slightly under-ripe peaches will store at room temperature to soften. Ripe fruit can be kept in the fridge in paper bags for a couple of days but always bring them back to room temperature before eating for maximum flavour.

Category: Fruit

In Season: Summer