I don't know why, but I've never been attracted to white peaches, not even the odd-looking donut or Saturn peach. White peaches are sweeter, less acid than yellow peaches, and I've always liked the assertive flavor of the yellow peaches.
But I may have changed my mind after visiting Venice. Just steps from our door, the Rialto produce market, or Erbaria, burgeoned with ripe fruit. Each morning, I'd choose something for breakfast, and was rewarded by fruit that was perfectly ripe to eat. The white peaches here were luscious, sweet, oozing with juice that ran down my chin, the cherries deep crimson and juice, the nectarines golden and bright with flavor.
As a matter of fact, I had to unlearn my American habit of buying too much fruit, because each piece was at its peak. If I took enough for a few days - it would spoil. Left overnight, a cherry or a nectarine, or a sweet ripe peach would darken and soften until it was overipe and faintly smelled of fermentation - the sugars turning to alcohol and rot.
No - the proper way to shop in Venice is to buy what you want to eat right then.
What delicate delicious treats have you enjoyed this summer?
Tomatoes, fresh off the vine and still warm from the sun.
ReplyDeleteI like the yellow peaches better, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to beat fresh tomatoes when they are in season.
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The cherries were so good this summer! I love black cherries, but I rarely buy them because they're not often great. But this summer I bought bags several times, and ate way too many at a sitting!
ReplyDeleteI've always preferred the yellow peaches, too. The white ones just don't seem to have enough flavor for me. But that bowl of fruit looks FANTASTIC!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest treat around here has got to be the huckleberries: tiny wild blueberries. My husband brought back a large water bottle full of them from his backpacking trip this week.
What a gorgeous photo of the fruits of summer! (I'm with you...yellow peaches usually have my vote, but there's nothing like a perfectly ripe piece of any kind of
ReplyDeletefruit)