Peaches
Sweet, aromatic, and juicy, peaches are a favorite of many. They are about the size of a tennis ball, with a velvety surface that's pleasant to the touch. Peaches come in several varieties. Some have a yellow-red skin and yellow flesh, while white peaches, for example, have a pinkish-cream skin and white-pink flesh. Some peaches are sold somewhat flat or disc-shaped, but the most common are round, with a pointed end. Like nectarines, they have a permanent pit, although there are varieties in which the pit separates very easily.
Peaches can be purchased from July to September.
How to choose?
A ripe peach has a fragrant aroma and is pliable to the touch, though not soft. Avoid buying peaches that are too hard or too soft, bruised, or moldy. Slightly underripe peaches can be stored at room temperature. They may ripen a bit and become softer, but unfortunately, they won't become sweeter.
Culinary uses
Using a sharp knife, cut the peach along the line dividing the fruit in half. Then, grasp the halves of the fruit with your hands and twist them in opposite directions to separate them. If you don't like the peach's texture, you can first wash it under cold running water, rubbing it thoroughly with your hands to smooth out the surface. If you place the fruit in boiling water for 15 seconds and then immediately in cold water, the skin will peel off naturally.
If you haven't eaten the whole peach and have a cut piece left, treat the cut area with lemon juice or acidified water to prevent it from wilting.
Peaches are eaten fresh, simply by biting into a piece, or cut into pieces and added to fruit salads or used to decorate cakes and biscuits. Peaches are also added to pies or served with vanilla ice cream and cream. They are sometimes boiled (whole for 10 minutes, halves for 4-5 minutes), and sometimes roasted for 15-20 minutes.
When preparing dishes, peaches can be replaced with nectarines.
Storage
Slightly unripe peaches can be stored indoors for 1-2 days. Ripe fruits should be refrigerated in a loosely sealed bag for no more than 2 days.
All recipes with peaches
Categories:
Related articles
