Peaches

Peaches are perhaps the most fickle fruit I've yet tried. Maybe I'm just being picky, but the ones I had prior to tonight have been either too ripe, or not ripe enough. With the inconsistency of supermarket peaches, I suspect this is an easy mistake to make. Peaches that are not ripe enough are bland and have a difficult texture somewhat akin to a dry apple. Peaches that are too ripe have an overly slimy texture. I've learned to determine ripeness by smell and by firmness. Ripe peaches have an unmistakable, readily evident aroma, and give a bit when squeezed but aren't too mushy. The peach I bought tonight possessed such qualities and because I did not have to worry about the texture, I was able to focus on the taste. The best way to eat a peach, in my humble opinion, is just to grab it and take a bite of it. The skin adds a slightly annoying texture, but it is certainly tolerable. If not, it is easily peeled off with a knife. The taste of a peach is one of those which is too unique to easily describe in terms of familiar tastes. It is sweet, juicy (extremely so; have a napkin handy), and tangy and is truly one of the best hand-held fruits out there. The name of the variety I tried escapes me, but it was a standard shape and had a yellowish interior. There are various other cultivars out there too, such as donut peaches and eastern peaches, that I may well write about in the future.


-Anthony