How to Pick a Peach

Few fruits are more alluring than a fuzzy, aromatic, perfectly ripe peach. But in an age of mass production and a pick-em-while-they're-green mentality, buying peaches can be a bit of a crapshoot. Some smell fantastic, only to yield pithy flesh while others rot on the surface before ever ripening in the center. To increase your chances of finding a peachy gem, here are some tips to navigating summer's golden bounty.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Grocery store or farmers' market

1. Pick up the peach and smell it. It should smell strong and sweet, with a perfectly peachy scent.

2. Look at the skin. The peach should exude a golden glow. Don't be fooled by bright red or orange peaches; though they can be tasty, a Technicolor skin doesn't automatically equal a great peach. Beware of peaches that are tinged green instead of golden.

3. Examine the skin for bumps, bruises and cuts. These will make it rot faster and often indicate that the peach is overripe.

4. Gently press the flesh at the top and bottom of the peach. A ripe peach should give slightly, especially near the stem.

5. Buy just one or two peaches to try. Even following these guidelines, you can be fooled into buying a pithy peach. It's a safe bet that peaches from the same crop are fairly similar, so you can always go back and buy more if you've successfully chosen a beauty.

Tips & Warnings

• Often farmers' markets have sliced peaches available for tasting. This is a great way to know what you're getting into when you're buying peaches.

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