Peaches and Summertime Peach Salsa Recipe

Peaches are excellent summer fruits. They are juicy, sweet and native to northwest China. They are a member of the stone fruit family. The inner flesh of a peach ranges in colour from white to yellow or orange.

There are two different varieties of peach: freestone and clingstone. These names indicate whether the flesh sticks to the inner seed or easily comes apart from it.

Season
November to March. Heaviest supplies January and February in Australia. Peak picking season in the US is from May through late September.

Selection
Look for firm, plump fruit with a uniform background colour and which yields to gentle pressure. Avoid green, extra-hard, bruised or blemished fruit.

Storage
Peaches are highly perishable. Refrigerate in an unsealed plastic bag for a few days. Use as soon as possible. And to ripen peaches, place them in a paper bag or near a windowsill with plenty of sunlight.

Preparation
To make sure they slice cleanly, always cut from the top (stalk) end towards the bottom rather than around the middle of the fruit. Use a small, sharp knife and push the tip until you feel the stone, then cut gently all around. Use your hands to twist each half in opposite directions to split in two, then use a teaspoon to ease out the stone.

If preparing to use in fruit salad, discard stones and coat surfaces with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Nutrition
Peaches are excellent source of vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as magnesium and phosphorus.
Here are some ideas for including peaches in the diet:

• Peaches make great snacks. Whenever you want to reach for an afternoon treat, have peaches.
• Create a summer salad by starting with mixed greens or spinach and adding dry-roasted nuts, fresh peaches, or tofu. Drizzle with a balsamic dressing.
• Add peaches to your breakfast cereal, smoothie bowl or breakfast drinks. They also make fantastic topper for vegan pancakes, waffles and French toast.
• Bake sliced peaches with a drizzle of maple syrup and cinnamon for a quick and healthy dessert.
• Make a fresh salsa with diced peaches like in the recipe below. I have this peach salsa with some roasted potatoes and vegan sausages. The salsa adds flavour and texture to earthy, savoury dishes (such as Spanish tortilla) and freshens them up.

Now let’s talk bout the peach salsa recipe here. This has been a huge hit in our home that my husband keeps asking for it every week!
Here’s a tip for you: If you can’t find peaches to make peach salsa, nectarines will do just as fine.