Peaches

©Ellen Blonder

Time for a food break. We were at the farmers' market over the weekend, and early peaches are in. This watercolor is from a peach book proposal that never went anywhere. Not all was lost. I learned how to choose a ripe peach:

• Don't be fooled by deep red blush. It only indicates sun exposure, not maturity or ripeness.
• A mature peach has an undertone that glows orange, not yellow-green. Good place to check is near the stem.
• A peach picked too early will never ripen properly, no matter how long it is stored. Spongy flesh indicates a peach picked too soon, then kept too long.
• A mature peach will have taken in sufficient nutrients from the tree, and continue to develop sweetness and juiciness after being picked. Ripe peaches will have a heady aroma.
• Yellow peaches have more acid than white peaches, so their flavor is more complex. Their color also holds up better when cooked.