August is National Peach Month
The Peach is a Healthy Fruit
Proclaimed in 1982 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, August is National Peach Month. The peach is an ancient and naturally sweet fruit which originated in China since 1000 B.C. China reveres the peach as a symbol of immortality and life.
From China, peaches traveled through time and by various methods by Alexander the Great to Greece, by Spaniards to South America, the French to Louisiana, American Indian tribes, and by the English to Jamestown and the Massachusetts colonies.
Today China remains the largest producer of peaches. More than 50% of peaches in the United States are grown in California. Georgia is touted as the Peach State. But in 2006 TV host Stephen Colbert of “The Colbert Report” considered South Carolina as the state with the juiciest peaches.
Peaches are a good source of vitamins A, B and C, which makes it a good nutrient. A medium peach is a good diet fruit as it has only 37 calories. Peach juice is used in many forms – as a moisturizer, in drinks and juices, for canning, and as desserts. The very best use of a peach is to eat it at room temperature.
There are different varieties of peaches. White, yellow, donut (they look like mini-donuts), cling, clingstone (the peach clings to the pit), and freestone (the peach stone comes out easily).
Peaches are a good canning fruit, and freeze well for later use. Peaches grow in trees, so wash to clean them and get the fuzz off before eating. Peaches have a hard pit in the center. There are many ways to eat or drink peaches:
Peach Pie / Peach Cobbler / Peach Melba / Peaches and Cream / Peaches in Cereal / Peaches in Salads / Peach Jelly / Peach Preserves / Peach Daiquiri / In its Own Syrup / Peach Puree / Peach Jell-O / Peach Ice cream / Dried Peaches / Peach Yogurt / Peach Glaze / Peach Marinade / Peach Cake / Peach Cup Cakes / Peach Juice / Peach Martini / Peach-based Moisterizer
Celebrate the peach! There is an all-inclusive web site with information on many available uses of the peach. It also shows where you can pick your own peaches from trees - www.pickyourown.org.
My personal favorite is the Georgia peach. George peaches are very large and naturally sweet. When you bite into a succulent, tree-ripened Georgia peach, the juice melts in the mouth. The seed pops right out after two bites, allowing you to enjoy the remainder of the fruit without any distractions.
After washing it, I close my eyes as I bite into its soft sweetness. I relish its sugary tasting juice as it slides down my throat. Once consumed, I am left with a fantastic memory burned into my brain. Should I have another? Will another be enough? Why are my thoughts still on the encounter? I decide it would be best to use some will power, and save my remaining peaches for later. After all, I can enjoy a peach product every month of the year!
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