WHITE HOT AND MELTING

   Wow! It's been a hot summer. Thanks to our big, old fashioned swamp cooler, we haven't melted yet, but we do have a variety of peach that's known as a "melting peach." If you've never heard it called that, no worries, it's mostly an industry term for white fleshed peaches which are a sub-specialty of the Prunus family of fruits (including, not limited to: peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots). We have white peaches and nectarines in stock right now.  Both are natural genetic mutations, as is the even-more-special sub-specialty, the white donut peach. That's the white peach we have today, the Galaxy donut peach.

Todays white nectarine variety is called 'white pearl'. 

   White fruit tastes sweeter not because it has more natural sugar---it doesn't. What makes it taste sweeter is a lower acid content. For this reason, white fruit is often called low acid or sub acid fruit, which doesn't sound as delicious as they are, but does indicate clearly, that for people with problems related to digesting high acid foods, white fruit can be a good choice.

   White peaches and nectarines are high in vitamin C, fiber and vitamin A, and are a good source of other nutrients like niacin and potassium. They have the same caloric values as yellow peaches and nectarines, about 60 per medium piece of fruit. That "melting" term refers to their more tender texture. They're best for fresh eating, because they tend to "melt" when cooked.

   August is peach season, and I'd like to remind you that this isn't a year to delay canning-freezing-jamming-eating anything that's a seasonal specialty. In a "normal" year, locally grown peaches are available from July through September, but I think this year's growing conditions have proven that this year is anything but normal. We can't predict how long juicy, sweet Yakima peaches will be in season, but they're here now, so enjoy them now.

Fruitfully yours,

Karin