All You Need to Know About Peaches
Juicy, fragrant, and so full of flavour, peach season in Canada might just be the highlight of summer! From late July through September, it’s a short but delicious window when local peaches, especially from Ontario’s Niagara region and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, are at their peak.
Peaches are incredibly versatile in the kitchen, making them a go-to ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes. Enjoy them fresh on their own, tossed into salads, grilled on the BBQ, or baked into crisps and cobblers– there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy Canadian peaches.
Learn how to pick the perfect peach and, just as importantly, how to store them to help keep them fresh all summer long!
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How to Pick Peaches
How to Pick Peaches
Whether you’re at your local Sobeys or on a farm in the Niagara region, knowing how to pick the ripest peach can make all the difference! Start by checking the colour of the peach. You want a rich, golden-yellow colour with a slight rosy blush. Next, gently squeeze the fruit– it should have a slight give but still feel firm overall. And don’t forget to take a moment to smell it, too! If the peach has a sweet, fragrant aroma, that’s a good sign that it’s ripe and ready to be enjoyed.
Peach Storage Tips
Peach Storage Tips
So you’ve brought home your perfect peaches. Now it’s time to store them properly to make the most of their flavour and freshness! Whether they’re almost ripe or already at their peak, a few simple steps will help keep them tasting their best.
Tip 1- Let Them Ripen
If your peaches are still a bit firm, leave them on the counter at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. They’ll continue to soften and ripen over a day or two. Want to speed things up? Put them in a paper bag to help them ripen even faster.
Tip 2- Keep Them in the Fridge
If your peaches are already perfectly ripe, store them in the fridge to slow down the ripening process. The cold helps to keep them fresh for a few more days, so you can enjoy them whenever you’re ready.
Tip 3- Freeze For Later
Got more ripe peaches than you can finish? Slice and freeze them for later! Just remove the pits, lay the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze them. Once the peach slices are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container to use for later!