An abnormally warm winter and a late-season freeze decimated the Georgia peach crop this year. Because supply dictates price, peaches and nectarines from California will be in greater demand this summer and prices will be higher. Despite that economic reality, I hope people will still enjoy all that peaches offer and will also check out white peaches and nectarines, which have unique and delicious properties all their own.
Peaches and nectarines are part of the Prunus family, known as stone fruits, in which the seed is encased in a hard shell commonly called the pit. Peach skin has a soft fuzz, and while some people remove that fuzzy skin before eating peaches or using them in a recipe, it’s completely edible.
Nectarines and peaches are nearly identical genetically except for the gene that determines whether the skin has fuzz or not.
White peaches and nectarines aren’t newfangled or genetically modified; they’ve been grown around the world for centuries. But in America, until two to three decades ago, they were mostly a niche fruit popular with home growers. Years back, white peaches and nectarines fetched premium prices, due in part to the great care required in their handling and shipping. Growers eventually rekindled white-fleshed varieties in the U.S. and developed fruit that could better tolerate the shipping process.
White peaches (like nectarines) are high in vitamins C and A, aid in digestion, are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants, and promote healthy skin. Photo courtesy of Pete Napolitano
White peaches and nectarines come in an array of complex flavors and aromas, tending towards the more delicate with sweet honey and vanilla overtones. Not necessarily snow white, their flesh is usually pearl-colored with some rose at the pit—inspiring their bevy of beautiful names, including East Coast white peach varieties such as Snow Giant, Manon, and Raritan Rose.
White peaches and nectarines have several characteristics that set them apart from their yellow counterparts. These include a delicate white flesh and an incredibly sweet taste due to their low acid levels. Because white peaches and nectarines have very low acid, they have the same sweet flavor whether you eat them crisp like an apple or wait for them to become soft and juicy.
White peaches are also commonly a darker, redder-cheeked fruit whose background color is a soft, creamy white. Contrary to the yellow variety, white peaches won’t have a tangy, acidic “bite” that counters the sweetness of the juice.
White peaches are available from late April through mid-October; white nectarines from mid-May through September. But the best of both tend to come early in the summer harvest cycle.
FUN FACTS
- Peaches and nectarines are high in vitamins C and A. They aid in digestion, and are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants. They’ve also been shown to contribute to healthy skin, and consuming them may help prevent UV damage.
- Thanks to their lower acid levels, white peaches are a great choice for those with sensitive stomachs.
- White peaches are more delicate and vulnerable to bruising than yellow peaches, and they tend to ripen faster.
- The history of the nectarine is unclear in the U.S. Some say the U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced the fruit in 1906, while newspaper references have the fruit growing in New York prior to the Revolutionary War.
- Nectarines still naturally occur as bud mutations on peach trees.
- Georgia nicknamed itself “The Peach State,” but New Jersey holds its own as the fourth largest peach-producing state, behind California, South Carolina, and Georgia.
White nectarines are nearly genetically equal to peaches except that they lack the gene for fuzz on the skin. Photo courtesy of Pete Napolitano
SELECTION AND STORAGE
The amount of red color on the skin of a white peach or nectarine doesn’t indication ripeness and can vary greatly from variety to variety. Look for a creamy white background color with no green.
Storage at home depends on how you prefer to eat them and how ripe they were when you bought them. The temperature of home refrigerators can actually damage the eating quality of firm peaches and nectarines, turning them dry and mushy.
If you prefer them crisp, purchase firm fruit and consume them within a day or two. If you like them soft and juicy, leave them at room temperature (not in a plastic bag) until they reach that stage, then refrigerate. The fruit will remain at that stage and can be refrigerated for around a week without damaging the eating quality.
Peaches are ripe when they are extremely fragrant and give slightly to the touch. The best varieties of white-fleshed nectarines are prone to scabbing and cracking, so don’t let their appearance put you off.
PREPARATION
Because white peaches and nectarines are so closely related, they can easily be swapped for each other in baked goods, salads, salsa, sauces, smoothies, jams, and jellies.
My wife, Bette, makes the most of white peaches and nectarines at this time of year by combining them in the following great recipe for “kuchen” (“cake” in German), a treat our family has loved for years. Hope you enjoy it and that you get your fill of these great fruits this summer!
WHITE PEACH AND WHITE NECTARINE KUCHEN
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 3 white peaches, peeled and sliced
- 3 white nectarines, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift the flour with the salt, baking powder, and just ¼ cup of the sugar.
Add the butter and blend until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
Pour into a greased 8-inch or 9-inch round or square baking pan and lightly press the crumbs on the bottom and sides of the pan.
Arrange peach and nectarine slices over the pastry.
Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together, sprinkle over the peaches and nectarines, and bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream and egg yolks until well combined. Pour over the peaches and nectarines and return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream if desired.
About “Produce Pete” Napolitano
With over 65 years of experience in the produce industry, New Jersey’s own “Produce Pete” Napolitano is a renowned fruit and vegetable expert, author and TV personality who’s appeared on a highly popular segment on NBC’s Weekend Today in New York Saturday mornings for over 28 years. His memoir, They Call Me Produce Pete, is out now. For more information, visit producepete.com.
About Susan Bloom
A regular contributor to New Jersey Monthly and a variety of other well-known local and national publications, Susan Bloom is an award-winning New Jersey-based freelance writer who covers topics ranging from health and lifestyle to business, food and more. She’s collaborated with Produce Pete on a broad range of articles for over a decade.
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