What Fruits Ripen When You Take Them Home?

Imagine the heat of the July sun beating down and peach trees as far as the eye can see. The glory is in climbing that V-shaped viney tree and reaching the top to pluck a peach as big as a cantaloupe. This is the case at Eckert's Farm in Belleville and my husband, a native to the Midwest, had never visited the farm. He plucked the giant peach, still warm from the beating sun and bit into it. The juice exploded and covered his face. He turned and said, "This is the best peach I have ever had." Fortunately, Eckerts provides Missouri markets such as in Manchester with some of their harvest.

Peaches are the fruits of summer. They are perfect for pies, tarts, crisps, cobblers and just eating fresh from the tree. Peaches are part of the rose family, which includes plums, cherries, apricots and almonds, among others. These fruits are also known as stone fruits for the pits they house inside their flesh.  

Peaches (as well as apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, kiwis, mangoes, pears, nectarines and plums, among others) are climacteric fruits. Climacteric fruits are those that are able to ripen after being picked, which is important when shopping for fruits in the local markets. Some fruits do not ripen after picking are: pineapples, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and grapes.  

As a peach ripens, the part facing the sun gets a reddish blush and the part not exposed to sun turns yellow. The best way to tell if a peach is ripe is by looking for a yellow base color. The flesh will yield to the touch and have that fragrant and floral peach scent.

A nectarine is a mutation of the peach, without the fuzz. Nectarines are slightly more acidic, but just as sweet. Personally, I believe the acid rounds out the flavor and brings forth the sweetness in the fruit.  

One of the simplest desserts to make is a crisp. It requires no bottom crust and no precooking of the fruit. A little sugar and cinnamon tossed with sliced fruit, with a streusel-like topping, approximately 30 minutes of baking, and a dessert has been easily created.

Peach Crisp 

For the filling:
5 cups ripe peaches, pitted and cut into thick slices
1 lemon, zested and juiced  
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour  
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (depending on ripeness of peaches)
2 tablespoons sugar (depending on ripeness of peaches)  
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
Pinch coarse salt 

For the topping:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour  
1/2 cup rolled oats  
1/2 cup almonds, chopped  
1/2 cup brown sugar  
1/2 cup sugar  
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces  
Pinch kosher salt 

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the filling:
Toss the peaches with the zest and lemon juice, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and salt. Place in a buttered 9-inch pan. 

For the topping:
Combine flour, oats, almonds, sugars and cinnamon.  

Cut in butter until mixture starts to come together but is still crumbly.

Put crumb mixture over the peaches.  

Place pan on a sheet tray and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the fruit is easily pierced with the tip of a knife and the topping, golden brown and crispy.