This time of year, what's better than a delicious Georgia peach? Peaches are the official state fruit of Georgia - and did you know there are more than four dozen varieties grown here? Find them at your supermarket, farmer's market, or visit a local farm.
Coming up on Aug. 23 & 24 in Kennesaw is the annual Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival. Now in its 19th year, the festival features two days of non-stop music, good eats, cold beer and interactive family-fun, including a peach dessert contest. Save the date and bring the family!
Peaches contain two types of polyphenols (antioxidants) at levels equivalent to "superfood" blueberries. A large peach has just 70 calories, contains 3 grams of fiber, and is a great source of vitamins A and C, making it a healthy addition to breakfast or lunch but still sweet enough for dessert!
Following are some tips for selecting and storing your peaches, as well as a few of our favorite recipes.
- Yellow peaches tend to be tangy; white peaches are sweeter.
- The red part of the peach, called the blush, is where the fruit was exposed to sun. It tells you nothing about the flavor or the ripeness.
- When selecting your peaches, check the stem area to make sure there isn't any green. Yellow peaches should be golden in color around the stem and white peaches should be a creamy white.
- The skin should be tight with no wrinkles and it should smell the way you want it to taste.
- Apply gentle pressure as you hold the peach. If it feels like a tennis ball, it will ripen within a week. If it's got a little bit of give, plan to eat it within the next few days. If it's soft, eat it now or freeze it for later.
- Peaches continue to ripen after being picked. If your peaches aren't quite ready to be eaten, store them on the counter rather than in the fridge, since refrigeration will slow or even stop the ripening process.
- To freeze, line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Peel and slice your peaches and place them on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Place the cookie sheet in your freezer for 2-3 hours, till the fruit is frozen, then store the peach slices in a freezer bag. While this process takes a little longer, it will prevent the fruit from freezing in clumps, making it easier to use in recipes.
 | Peaches 'n' Cream Smoothie Peel, pit, and slice two peaches. In a blender, combine peach slices, one banana, 1 1/2 cups of plain Greek yogurt, and one scoop of vanilla protein powder. Makes two grown-up size smoothies or four kid-size smoothies. | |
 | Raspberry, Peach, & Spinach Salad Toss a bag of baby spinach leaves with half a bottle of raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing. Top with fresh raspberries, peach slices, and chopped walnuts. | |
 | The Easiest Peach Dessert EVER Slice a peach in half, remove the pit, and place peach halves in a microwavable bowl. Pour some milk over peaches and sprinkle with cinnamon. Microwave for one minute and enjoy! | |
 | Grandma's Peach Cobbler My grandma makes the best everything! I like this dessert because it's just the right amount of sweetness, not overly sweet ... just like my grandma! Get the recipe. | |
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