![]() If the stem is gone but everything is still sealed up tightly, you’ve still got a very good chance for a tasty peach. If the stem has been removed, look to make sure there is no hole or opening at the stem end. That peach was probably harvested a week or more ago, and that intact stem is helping keep the good stuff in, and the bad stuff out.īut if you’re at a farmstand and the peaches have no stems, that might be an excellent sign! When peaches are harvested at the height of ripeness, the stem often comes off as the peach is pulled from the tree. This is because the stem works like a seal, keeping all those tasty juices inside, and keeping bugs and air out. Look for stems - maybeĪt the grocery store, you’ve got the best chance for a tasty peach when the stem is still intact. This is a sign there is lots of juiciness inside (because liquid is heavy). Buy peaches that are heavy for their sizeĪs you hold the fruit in your hand it should feel heavy for its size. So if you see peaches with thick, dense fuzz, it can be a really good sign! Before you eat them, you can get rid of most of the fuzz by using your thumbs to give them a good rubbing under cool water. As a result, supermarket peaches tend to have less fuzz than farm stand peaches. The more peaches are handled, misted, and bumped around in transit, the more of that fuzz tends to rub off. Different varieties of peaches have different amounts of fuzz, but sometimes lots of fuzz indicates the peach is still fresh off the tree. There was a time when I avoided fresh peaches, because I just didn’t want to deal with all of that fuzz. ![]() Local farmers take pride in the produce they grow for their neighbors, and the peaches you’re buying are probably the same peaches the farmer’s family eats. By definition, they’re going to be local and in-season. If you’re getting your peaches straight from the farmer who grew them, your odds of getting a good one are even better. Buy peaches at farmers markets and farm stands Peach season is summer (the specific months vary by region), so if you’re buying a locally-grown peach at the height of summer, your chances are much better that it will be a good one. In the process of ripening, all those tasty sugars continue to develop and intensify, giving your peach the best chance at tastiness. ![]() But fruit that’s grown locally is harvested closest to peak ripeness. Fruit that’s grown remotely is harvested before it’s fully ripe so it can survive the long trip and get to you intact. Like with most other fruit, local in-season fruit is generally going to taste better (and may be better for you). However, there are actually several ways you can improve your odds of avoiding bad peaches: Look for local peaches, in season ![]() Peaches often are what they are because of weather and other factors that are outside of anyone’s control. Here’s how:ĪVOID the BAD PEACH: How to shop for Peaches Peaches gonna peach.īut you can learn the signs of peachy goodness and improve your odds of getting a good one. Like the produce guy in that Seinfeld episode says, a bad peach is an act of God. Unfortunately, not every peach that comes our way fits this picture of juicy awesomeness. Even when I want to, if no one else eats it first I usually find myself standing over the sink, juice dripping down my arm, devouring that sweet summer goodness before I've even had a chance to formulate a cooking strategy. PERFECT PEACHESĪs I've written before in this series, a perfectly ripe piece of summer fruit is so miraculous, it's hard to justify doing anything too fancy to it. But what if your peaches are not perfect? Here's how to tell if you’re getting a good peach, and what you can do if your peaches are less than perfect. Updated August 2023 with minor edits and a few new details.Ī perfectly ripe peach is a gift from the gods of summer.
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