There’s nothing more satisfying than biting into a delicious piece of fruit when it’s in season. And right now, peaches, plums and nectarines are ripe for the picking.
Here are a few fun facts about these fruits, all of which are on sale this week at Potash Markets. Remember, wipe the juice off your chin!
PEACHES
Season: Late May into August
Color: White or Yellow. The yellow are more acidic than the white.
Texture: Fuzzy
Member of: The Rose family. Also related to the almond.
Originated in: China, circa 2000 B.C. They were brought to Persia along the Silk Road, and eventually to the Mediterranean, where they were referred to as Persian apples, which eventually became “peach.”
Where they are grown: China, Iran, France, Italy, Spain and Greece. In the United States, 65 percent of peaches are grown in California. Peaches are also grown in Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Fun Fact: In the movie “A League of Their Own,” Gina Davis and Madonna played for the Rockford Peaches.
NECTARINES
Season: June to September
Color: Reddish outside, white or yellow inside.
Texture: Smooth. In fact, nectarines are exactly the same as peaches, they just don’t have any fuzz.
Fun fact: Several studies have shown that nectarines are the same as peaches, except they have a recessive gene for smooth skin. In fact, nectarines can sometimes grow on peach trees.
PLUMS
Season: May to October (July and August in Michigan)
Color: Red (Japanese Plums) or purple (European Plums). Yellow on the inside.
Texture: Smooth and waxy
Member of: The Rose family. Also related to the almond.
Originated in: China more than 2,000 years ago. Have been featured in written documents since 479 B.C. Wild plums have been growing in North America for centuries.
Where they are grown: China grows the most plums in the world, followed by Serbia and the United States. In the United States, plums are mainly grown in California, Oregon, Washington and Michigan.
Fun Fact: Because people associate prunes with old people and constipation, companies have changed the name on prune packaging to “dried plums.”
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