Juicy, delicious peaches are here! These substantial yet delicate orbs of fruit smell like summer with a rich full aroma and a juicy bite, making it a dessert straight off the tree.
Peaches are a perfect snack. A medium-sized peach contains only 68 calories and with 10 percent of your daily vitamin C in one serving.
Originally from China, the peach is a member of the rose family and was brought to the United States (Georgia) in 1571. Peach varieties are either freestone or clingstone. A freestone peach comes away from the pit easily, while a clingstone’s flesh sticks to the pit and is hard to remove.
Many varieties of peaches are available at U-pick farms, fruit stands and farmers markets. The most popular of the many locally grown varieties are red haven, cresthaven, elberta and veteran. You will also find a donut peach Saturn, which is thin skinned and best for eating only.
Cresthaven is a medium-to-large golden yellow freestone peach. It is good for preserving. The red haven variety is nearly fuzzless and a golden-to-red color. It tends to be a clingstone until fully ripe and then comes away from the pit more easily. It is good for desserts as well as canning or freezing. Elberta peaches are large and best known as the canning peach. It is a freestone peach and has a smaller pit than other peach varieties. Veteran peaches are freestone peaches and bruise more easily than other varieties. The skin will also peel off more easily than other varieties.
When buying peaches at the market, choose fruits that are still firm but slightly soft to the touch. They will be yellow with a reddish blush, and white peaches will be yellowish white. They will continue to ripen after being picked, which makes them one of the more perishable fruits.
Peaches will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Slightly hard but mature peaches can be kept at room temperature until they ripen. If you wish them to ripen sooner, store inside a paper bag and close the top.
Peaches at room temperature have the best flavor. Remember to wash fruit gently in cold water before eating. Peaches do not need to be peeled to be eaten fresh, but when preserving or baking, it is best to peel them. When slicing peaches, they will turn brown when exposed to the air. To prevent them from darkening, dip or set them in water with a few drops of lemon juice in it or use ascorbic acid powder.
Enjoy peaches fresh, made into smoothies, or cut up in a salad, grilled or baked into a delicious pie. Peaches complement chicken, pork and seafood dishes and go well with grains and rice. Peaches also can be frozen, dried or canned. They make wonderful jams, marmalades, jellies or syrup.
To figure out how many peaches you need for your project remember that 3 medium is about 1 pound or 2¼ cups sliced or 1¼ cups crushed.
For more information and downloadable how-to-publications on preserving and dehydrating visit the WSU website ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=1134.
Vicki Ivy is a WSU Clark County Extension master food preserver. For more information, contact the Master Food Preserver hotline at 360-697-6060, ext. 5366 or visit the website at clark.wsu.edu.
