Nectarines Are Just Bald Peaches
In my opinion, peaches have always been sweeter than nectarines. I don’t particularly like the feeling of trichome on my lips, but I’ve always thought of “sweeter” flesh as a reward for putting up with the discomfort of the harder fruit. (I have the stamina and fortitude needed to eat real peaches, as opposed to my weak, nectarine-loving brethren.) I concluded that this was stupid.
Why are nectarines so smooth?
It turns out I was half correct about the differences between the two fruits. While fluffy peaches may contain slightly more sugar than nectarines, they are almost genetically identical. Nectarines are peaches, they are just bald.
Contrary to popular stone fruit lore, nectarines are not the favorite son of peaches and plums. Nectarines are smooth, lint-free peaches due to the fact that one gene is recessive in the first and dominates in the second.
How does this change the situation?
What does this mean for you and your stone fruit consumption? Besides telling people that “nectarines are actually peaches,” you can use them synonymously in recipes. Nectarines are usually slightly harder, which gives them a slight advantage if you grill them or lay them on a biscuit (they hold their shape better, keeping your beautiful pattern); but to be honest, I have grilled peaches to great results so don’t worry about that. Conversely, peaches fall apart a little more easily than their fluffy friends, but any fruit can be kneaded into submission with enough heat or brute force.
Peaches and nectarines are both yellow and white, and the white-fleshed versions are noticeably sweeter due to their lower acid content. Both fruits can be pebbled, pebbled, and (less commonly) semi-leafy, with seeds from pebbles being the easiest to remove, and seeds being the most difficult. ( This trick can help with stubborn pits.)
Use your senses
Like most fruits, a peach’s flavor – fluffy or soft – is primarily influenced by its ripeness. An unripe white peach will not taste as sweet as a fully ripe yellow nectarine, so choose heavy, firm fruits with few bumps and choose what looks and smells good, especially if you choose fruit at the end of the season (which we are heading towards approaching). Your peach recipe works great for bald peaches, especially when they are ripe and juicy bald peaches.