Peach

About

The Peach is native to China. This round, juicy, medium-sized fruit has reddish orange velvety skin, firm yellow or cream-colored flesh and a sweet taste. In the center of the fruit is a single brown pit.

Peaches are high in Vitamin A and a good source of Vitamin C. They are great as snacks, in fruit salads, desserts and baked goods. Peaches are sold fresh, canned and frozen.

Information

Other names: Peaches, stonefruit

Translations: Persiks, Persikas, Piersic, Breskva, Đào, Brzoskwinia, Perzik, आड़ू, Pêssego, Персик, Ροδάκινο, خوخ, 복숭아, Broskev, Persik, Milokoton, 桃, Préssec, Broskyňa, Pesca, אפרסק, Бресква, ピーチ, Pêche, Pfirsich, Melocotón, Персик, Persikka, Праскова

Physical Description

The peach (Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach. It is a deciduous tree growing to 4–10 m tall, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus within the genus Prunus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.

The leaves are lanceolate, 7–16 cm long (3–6 in), 2–3 cm broad, pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2.5–3 cm diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines) in different cultivators. The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivators, but is fairly firm in some commercial varieties, especially when green. The single, large seed is red-brown, oval shaped, approximately 1.3–2 cm long, and is surrounded by a wood-like husk. Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are stone fruits (drupes).

The scientific name persica, along with the word "peach" itself and its cognates in many European languages, derives from an early European belief that peaches were native to Persia (now Iran). The modern botanical consensus is that they originate in China, and were introduced to Persia and the Mediterranean region along the Silk Road before Christian times. Cultivated peaches are divided into cling stones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colors often have some red on their skin. Low-acid white-fleshed peaches are the most popular kinds in China, Japan, and neighboring Asian countries, while Europeans and North Americans have historically favored the acidic, yellow-fleshed kinds.

Colors: Pink, Green, Yellow

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet

Mouthfeel: Soft and sweet

Food complements: Cakes, Pies

Wine complements: Pinot grigio, Prosecco, Moscato

Beverage complements: Milkshakes, Tea, Gingerale, Schnapps, Vodka

Substitutes: Nectarines, Apricots

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Peak: june, july, august, september

Choosing: Check for bruising, softness & ripeness before choosing the correct peach.

Buying: Can be purchased at your local grocery store or farmers market.

Preparation and Use

Following the line of the dimple,cut around the fruit and twist it apart. Tough skin can be peeled off with your fingers or you can drop it in boiling water for 10 seconds then plunge quickly in cold water, this should help loosen the tough skin. Peaches can be eaten as is or used in baking pies or cooking.

Cleaning: Rinsing with cool water. If you want to remove the fuzzy skin, you can peel it or blanch the fruit.

Conserving and Storing

Leave in Air Tight Container or store in cold Refrigerator. Peaches should be stored at room temperature and refrigeration should be avoided as this can lessen the taste of the peach. Peaches do not ripen after being picked from the tree, so storing for ripening is not necessary.

You can brush the cut sides of peaches with lemon juice if you are not going to eat cut peaches immediately.

Social/Political

History: Although its botanical name Prunus persica suggests the peach is native to Persia, peaches actually originated in China where they have been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the 10th century BC and were a favoured fruit of kings and emperors.

Its English name derives originally from the Latin prunus persica, then persica, then pessica, then pesca, then the French pêche, then peach in Middle English.

The Persians brought the peach from China and passed it on to the Romans. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and eventually made it to England and France in the 17th century, where it was a prized, albeit rare, treat.

The horticulturist George Minifie supposedly brought the first peaches from England to its North American colonies in the early 17th century, planting them at his Estate of Buckland in Virginia.

Various American Indian tribes are credited with spreading the peach tree across the United States, taking seeds along with them and planting as they roved the country.

Although Thomas Jefferson had peach trees at Monticello, United States farmers did not begin commercial production until the 19th century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and finally Virginia. California today grows 65% of peaches grown for commercial production in the United States, but the northern states of Colorado, Michigan, and Washington also grow a significant amount. Georgia is known as "The Peach State". Italy, China, India and Greece are major producers of peaches outside of the United States.