ASK SARAH

THE FRUIT S TANDS ARE BURS TING WITH PE ACHES RIGHT NOW! WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING?

While there are around 300 cultivated varieties of peaches grown in the U.S.— and more than 2,000 globally—peaches are more often sold by the color of their flesh than their variety.

Peaches are mainly categorized by two things: the color of the fruit (white or yellow) and the way the stone (pit) sticks to the fruit. Let’s take a look at the differences.

PICKING PEACHES

At-peak peaches will smell sweet and fragrant. They should be somewhat firm—not too hard or soft. If the fruit is green, it likely won’t ripen well.

Clingstones

In clingstone peaches, the pit holds tightly to the fruit. Clingstones, while juicier and sweeter than freestones, are most often used commercially because of the difficulty in removing the pit.