PEACHES are believed to be native to China.
They are cultivated throughout warm temperate and subtropical
regions of the world. In the peach fruit, the stone is covered
with a fleshy substance that is juicy, melting, and of fine flavor
when matured and mellowed.
The popular division of fruit varieties into
clingstones and freestones-referring to the relative tendency
of the flesh to cling to the stone-is by no means accurate. These
two classes merge in different varieties, and even the same variety
may be freestone and clingstone in different seasons. The nearly
300 varieties of peaches grown in America have been classified
into five races, each with outstanding characteristics, ripening
season, and uses.The nectarine is a variety of peach.
The principal peach-growing state is California.
World production totaled about 5.5 million metric tons annually;
the United States and Italy were the leading producers.
How to Store:
To ripen peaches, store in a brown bag at room temperature. Ripe
peaches can be stored in the crisper bin of your refrigerator
for up to five or sixdays.
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