Making the Most of Summer Peaches

Peach lovers know that when the days grow longer and warmer, juicy, ripe peaches will soon be ready. If you’re close to a farm, you’ve got the inside scoop on the freshest peaches around. If you’re buying from a grocery store or farmer’s market, however, you need to approach the task differently to come away with the best peaches every time. 

Knowing what to look for will ensure you choose ripe, flavorful peaches rather than disappointing, overripe or green peaches. From the farmers market to your kitchen counter, this guide will equip you with the knowledge to pick the perfect peach and make the most of its fleeting season.

Differences in peach varieties

The first thing to decide is what type of peach you want. With more than 300 varieties of peaches grown in the U.S., there are many choices. To narrow it down, consider whether you prefer freestone or clingstone and what your intended purpose is — will you slice the peach and eat it as is, or will you use it for cooking? 

Clingstone vs. freestone peaches

Like plums and apricots, peaches are stone fruits, which means they have a thin outer skin and a large pit in the center. One way to distinguish between peach varieties is by how easily the flesh separates from the pit. Here is how you can tell a clingstone peach from a freestone peach.

Clingstone peaches

Clingstone peaches are the ones that will leave you with sweet nectar dribbling down your chin. The flesh on these peaches clings to the pit and can be more cumbersome to remove, but they are softer, sweeter and juicier than their freestone cousins. Clingstone peaches are best eaten fresh or in a light recipe like peach preserves.

Freestone peaches

Freestone peaches have firmer flesh that easily pulls away from the pit, making them the peaches of choice for cooking and baking. They’re still delicious, and you can eat them fresh, too, but most folks use them to make things like peach pies, cobblers, and other classic favorites.

Then there is something called the semi-freestone peach. It is a hybrid version that blends the best features of clingstone and freestone. The soft, sweet flesh pulls away from the pit, making it a terrific option for almost any recipe.

Yellow flesh vs. white flesh

Yellow-fleshed peaches are the most common in the U.S. Their bright yellow flesh and classic peach flavor make them perfect for almost any use. 

White-fleshed peaches have a higher sugar content and are usually sweeter and slightly more delicate than yellow-flesh peaches. These are great for jams and sauces, like a bourbon peach barbecue sauce. 

How to choose a perfectly ripened peach

Now that you’ve decided on the types of peaches to buy, how do you choose the best ones? Use your senses: look, smell and touch. Choosing a perfectly ripened peach is a lot like choosing an avocado. There are a number of factors to consider. Basically, a peach that’s ready to enjoy will be slightly soft to the touch and give a little when lightly squeezed.

How does the summer peach look?

Check the color of the skin first. Yellow peaches will have a classic dark blush skin with a golden undertone. White peaches will have more of a light blush to pale yellow skin. If the skin is green, it means the peach is not ripe.

Another visual cue is the condition of the skin. Is there bruising? The peach is probably overripe. Is it wrinkled? Wrinkles can be a sign the peach is old or was chilled after harvesting. Look for peaches with smooth skin and good color.

Can you smell the peach?

In most cases, but not with all varieties, a peach should smell like a peach: fragrant and, well, peachy. If it doesn’t smell like a peach, it probably will not taste like a peach.

Does the peach have some give or is hard as a rock?

Texture is important. Hold the peach in your hand and gently squeeze. You’re looking for soft but not mushy. If it’s firm but still has a little give, it will be ready to eat after a few days. If the peach is hard with no give at all, it was probably harvested too early.

The good news is that even if you can only find slightly firmer peaches that aren’t ready to eat today, all is not lost. Peaches continue to ripen after harvesting, so you can take them home, and in a couple of days, you’ll have perfect peaches. Like you would an avocado, you can place them in a brown paper bag to help speed up their ripening at home.

How to ripen and store peaches

It’s best to buy some ripe and ready-to-eat peaches and a few in varying stages of ripening, allowing you to enjoy your haul for several days. 

Store your peaches at room temperature, right on the counter and spread apart as much as space allows. They will continue to ripen, so the firmer ones will be ready in just a couple of days. Once they have ripened adequately, you can store them in the refrigerator for another week, but always serve them at room temperature. You can also freeze fresh peaches and enjoy them year-round.

What to do with those perfect peaches

There are so many ways to use peaches. While it’s hard to beat simply biting into a ripe, juicy peach, it’s also hard to beat tasting that first summer Southern peach cobbler. 

Don’t stop with traditional desserts, though. Peaches can be used in smoothies, to make an easy peach berry cake or to flavor simple syrup for cocktails. Also, I love making fruit salsa, including this recipe for peach jalapeno salsa.

Peaches versus nectarines

Peaches and nectarines are quite similar, in that they’re both stone fruits, but they do have some distinct differences worth pointing out. For starters, peaches have a fuzzy skin coating while nectarines have a smooth skin without any fuzz. So, if you’re shopping for summer peaches at a farmers market or supermarket and you see a fruit with a smooth skin, it’s probably a nectarine, not a peach. Both happen to be in season during the summer months.

In addition to a different skin, each fruit’s inner flesh is a bit different. Nectarines generally have firmer flesh compared to peaches. This makes nectarines slightly crisper, while peaches are often softer and juicier — assuming you’re buying summer peaches at their peak ripeness.

Some say that peaches are sweeter and smell sweeter than nectarines, which some describe as being tangier. But really it’s a personal preference. I prefer to eat peaches or nectarines cut away from the pit and then quartered in a bowl. I’ll often sprinkle sugar on them to bring out their flavor even more.

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.