Peachy Keen- The White Peach

peach1

pēCH/

noun

1. 1.

a round stone fruit with juicy yellow flesh and downy pinkish-yellow skin.

1. 2.

the Chinese tree that bears the peach.

Happy Summer, everyone!

It's time for swimming, shorts, fun in the sun, and an assortment of delicious fruit.

About three years ago, I was at the market buying fruit for smoothies when I came across white peaches. A lover of fruit, I could not believe I hadn't seen them before, and I may have.. but simply overlooked them.

Fast forward to current day and I am a loyal fan. Here's a bit of information about white peaches.

Prior to the 1980s, farmers typically threw white peach varieties into the trash. Before these fruits became a commodity, farmers believed these easily-bruised, light colored peaches would not sell like the traditional yellow variety. In the 1980s, however, consumer tastes evolved to demand a sweeter, less acidic fruit. White peaches fit this description, and soon began selling at top prices. Today, it is not uncommon to find both yellow and white peach varieties in your local grocery store during the months of May through early September.

As white peaches began to gain popularity in the 1980s, one of the most popular varieties on the West Coast was the "Babcock" white peach; a cross between the "Preento" and the "Strawberry Free" white peach varieties. Later, another favorite appeared on the West Coast; the "Springtime" white peach. This variety holds a large amount of water, making it a juicy peach. Another classic white peach variety is the "Belle of Georgia." This variety produces a hardy and reliable yield. The peaches are large and have a sweet quality that makes them perfect for dessert applications.

Dating back as far as 1825, the "Stump of the Earth" is an older and unusual white peach variety. It does not have a creamy pinkish skin, but skin that is light green with a blush of red. The "Stump of the Earth" also has one of the most unusual white peach flavors. The tree produces fruit early in the season. The "Stark Saturn" is one of the most distinctively shaped white peach varieties. With the appearance of a thick, misshapen flying saucer, or doughnut, the "Stark Saturn" is flat and round with a sunken center. This white peach variety has a sweet almond-like flavor from a tree that produces a high fruit yield.

I love to make homemade smoothies with them, as well as cut the peaches up, cover in honey and brown sugar, and then refrigerating them for two hours. After that, I add the peaches to a baking sheet and cook on a low oven setting for 30 to 45 minutes, letting them sit and cool for two hours. I add pecans glazed with the same process and Grape nuts cereal to create my Peaches n' Grains trail mix.

Last but not least, let's be honest, truly delicious fruit... is amazing on its own.

M Lundy is the creator of 303 Home | Loft | Wellness. An avid lover of summer, you can catch Marci in nature finding inspiration for her product line, photographing sunflowers, or on a swing sunbathing and enjoying a white peach.