Harvest of the Month: Peaches
While Americans crave the annual arrival of fresh peaches each mid-to-late summer, the Chinese once believed the gods waited even longer: According to legend, they held a special Feast of Peaches every 6,000 years, believing the trees planted for the festival took 1,000 years to sprout leaves and another 3,000 years to produce ripe fruit. Regardless of mythical longevity, it is generally accepted that peaches originated in China, and they continue to be revered throughout Asia as symbols of immortality and protection against evil spirits. It wasn’t until a few hundred years ago that the fruit became popular in Europe and then the Americas, and it has only been grown commercially in the U.S. since the late 1800s. The United States is now the third-leading producer of peaches, behind Italy and, yes, China, which produces more than four times as many peaches as the U.S. and Italy combined. Here in the U.S., the freshest peaches will be found from July to September.
To get the best peaches, choose ones that have a sweet, decidedly peachy aroma (if they smell like a grocery store produce table, move on). Once you get peaches home, keep them at room temperature until you’re ready to eat them, only putting them in the refrigerator if they become fully ripened, since the cold air will stop the ripening process.
Try August’s Recipe: Balsamic Peach Chicken Skillet
Tags: food, healthy eating, recipes