The sweet and delicious white varieties of peaches and nectarines are the highlight of stone fruit season for a lot of us with a certain sweet tooth. Though they are pretty new to the US, white peaches and nectarines have actually been around for centuries.
From East to West
Peaches and nectarines are thought to have originated in China over 3000 years ago, and China is still the only place to find wild peach or nectarine trees. And Ancient Greece, Rome, and Persia all cultivated peaches . Alexander the Great took them to Spain and France, and it wasn’t until the 16th century, that they were brought to the Americas and England. However, white peaches and nectarines were not seen in the United States until recently, fulfilling a demand for less acidic fruit.
Peach vs. Nectarine
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- Sliced White Peaches
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- Sliced White Nectarines
Peaches and nectarines are both stone fruits (they have a pit in the middle), and can come as clingstone (the pit is attached to the flesh), or freestone (the pit easily detaches from the flesh). There really isn’t that much of a difference in taste between the two fruits. In fact, peach seeds can end up growing nectarines, and nectarines may grow peaches. The fuzzy flesh is a dominant gene that the peach holds, and smooth skin of a nectarine is recessive, and is thought by some to originate from a mutation of the peaches. The two are interchangeable in recipes and snacking.
Sweeter vs. Tangier
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- Yellow Nectarines
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- White Peaches
The deeper flavor of yellow peaches and nectarines is perfect for baking, whereas snacking is the preferred way to enjoy the sweeter white varieties.
The Best Peaches & Nectarines
California is home to over 90% the peach and nectarine crops that make their way to the rest of the country. So, it is our duty to know how to enjoy them to the utmost! To ensure they stay in their best condition during transport, and for a longer shelf life, they are not picked when they are completely ripened. But it’s easy to speed up the ripening process, right out of the farm box. Just place them in a paper bag & you’ll have the juiciest, sweetest white stone fruit ready for you the next day or so!