No Virginia, There Aren’t Really Nectarines
Posted by terrepruitt on July 3, 2010
Is San Jose a good place to grow nectarines? I love nectarines. I just decided I want a nectarine tree. My hubby knows I love nectarines so he came home with a container of them. YES! For three days I would walk into the kitchen and touch every one to see if they were ripe yet. Let me rephrase that: for three days EVERY TIME I walked into the kitchen I would touch every one to see if one was ripe. I stood there at one point wanting to eat one, but knowing that if it wasn’t ready it would ruin the joy of it. So I waited.
Now, they are ripe. Yesterday I ate two because if you don’t eat them fast they will go bad. These ones are the eat-it-over-the-sink-because-it-is-really-juicy type of fruit. Confession: I stopped at this point in my writing because thinking about them made me want one. LOVE THEM. So good.
I was going to post about the nutrition value of nectarines, but I learned something new as I researched how to grow nectarines. I thought I would share.
I had always thought of peaches and nectarines as being similar but not the same fruit, but the information I am seeing is that a nectarine IS a peach, but with smooth, non-fuzzy skin. But I don’t think they taste the same. Do you? But alas, according to what I am reading, there aren’t really nectarine trees, they are only peach trees that produce a mutated variety of peach. Dang, I learn a lot writing a blog. Did YOU know that, Dear Reader? Did you know that a nectarine is a peach? That explains why people always have peach trees and not nectarine trees. But that actually makes me laugh because if it is a peach tree with a mutation, it is a nectarine tree. Odd. It must be the way “they” classify things. Everything I look up for nectarine comes up peach.
A nectarine is in the group of peaches, but it is two peach trees with the recessive “fuzzy” gene that produce a nectarine tree.
I am sure there are plenty of you who knew that a nectarine was a peach. Quite honestly, I don’t need to know, but I am kind of surprised by it. I thought a peach was a peach and a nectarine was a nectarine, and it is, but it isn’t. And no, I am not going to compare this to anything and get all philosophical on you because, well, I am just stuck on the nectarine being a peach. I just find it fascinating. I love when I am looking for something and I discover something entirely new to me.
Did you know that nectarines were peaches? Do you like nectarines? Do you like peaches?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
Jill Campana said
I like them all…nectarines, apricots, peaches, plums, grapes, canteloup, mushmellon, watermelon, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries…
And no, I didn’t know that a nectarine was a peach that had been shaved. Funny…you’d think living on this earth for 60 years I would’ve picked that up somewhere. Nahhh…who cares…I just eat ’em.
Thanks!
Jill
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terrepruitt said
Mushmellon? What is mushmellon? If you like them all and eat them all you are getting natures vitamins and great nutrition.
I am not a peach fan, I like cherries, I am not a fan of any berry, and I don’t even know what a mushmellon is.
I know knowing a nectarine is a peach is not a necessity, I just found it interesting. One does not NEED to know, but I just think it is an interesting fact, so I wanted to share because I too never knew.
I LOVE nectarines that is what started this, I wanted to grow them.
Happy 4th! XOXOX
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Julia Williams, said
I didn’t know they were the same! I like them both, but prefer the nectarines because I don’t like the feeling of the fuzz when I eat the peach. If I buy peaches, I usually have to take the skin off. White peaches and white nectarines taste sweeter to me than the yellow ones.
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terrepruitt said
I am so glad I am able to “learn you” something. LOL! I know it is not something we can’t live without knowing, but I guess I am just amused by the little things. Like I had mentioned on your post, I was amused when I told my cat “nuh-uh!” and she listened. Still makes me laugh.
I don’t like the skin on peaches either, although I read that it does help with the skin being more tough so they don’t bruise as easily as nectarines. See? To me, another interesting tidbit! I bet you are right about the white and the yellow.
Thank you, Julia, for stopping by and commenting. I do love reading your blog and especially YOUR posts about kitties!
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Yllari said
Hi Terre:
I love nectarines and peaches, they were my favorite fruit as a kid and still are, the problem is that is kind of hard to find ones that taste good, it’s very tricky, I go to safeway and choose really good looking ones, but when trying to eat them they are not sweet but sour :(.
Good thing there is a farmer’s market in Morgan Hill and the peaches and nectarines they sell are sooo good!!! Those are the only ones I trust buying.
By the way, love your blog!
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terrepruitt said
YLLARI!!!!!! Hello My BEAUTIFUL Friend. How are you? Funny running into you here on my blog. Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you so much for commenting. Such a treasured guest you are!
In case you don’t make it to the Farmer’s Market one week, try the ones at Costco. Of course, we just threw away the box so I cannot tell you the brand, but they were AWEOME. Do you know when you bite into something sour your face just automatically kind of squishes together? Well, I had never had that happen when something was sweet! This one nectarine I had was soooooo sweet, my face did that involuntarily. I was left thinking, “WHOA!” It was sweeter than the sweetest candy ever. It was soooo good. And while I was eating it (over the sink) I was thinking I am so glad I am home alone because it was a slurping kind of fruit, that was just so juicy I sounded like a child eating soup for the very first time. So, maybe you should try getting a box of those. Plus there were really BIG. Just got some more from the grocery store and the are small compared to the ones from Costco.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. Means so very much to me my friend. I do hope you are doing well.
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Angelia Sims said
Terre,
I have to agree on learning a lot because of blogging research. That happens to me too. It seems like I did know this, but I can’t recall from where. Now the trees are a whole different story….I never thought of that before and you are right if it’s a peach tree with a mutated gene why not call it a nectarine tree? Unless it off shoots some fuzzy?
LOL! I definitely think you need a tree, whichever the case. 🙂 Now I’m craving a nectarine.
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terrepruitt said
The information I read indicated that in oder to get netarines you had to be sure that the tree produced them before because it COULD produce peaches. I bet that the nectarines we purchase commercially are genetically altered somehow. 🙂
I bet a lot of people knew this at one point, but it is not something you need to remember so it was one of those facts that got pushed aside for more important stuff. I just find silly things to be fascinating.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you had a great Fourth of July Weekend.
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suzicate said
Interesting, isn’t it? Our hometown peach orchard grows thirty varieties of peaches. I did not know there were thirty varieties! Hubby was reading it on their site last night. It makes me wonder how many varieties there are. I prefer the fuzzless skin of a nectarine but the taste of a peach, most specifically a ripe white peach! Now days, peaches are almost fuzzless, not at all like they once were…fortunately they’ve maintained their delectable taste and juiciness.
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terrepruitt said
THIRTY VARIETIES OF PEACHES???? Whoa! Who would have thought we needed that many, huh? I didn’t know there was that many kinds and I am still wondering WHY there are that many.
Most people prefer the fuzzless skin, but love the flavor of a peach. I am not a peach fan. They are more . . . . what just popped into my head was “buttery”. I don’t know if that is accurate, but I LOVE the flavor of nectarines, but NOT peaches.
This group of nectarines (in the picture) is not white, I don’t think. I ate them save for two that I shared with my hubby. He bought me white ones. They are VERY, VERY pretty—RED, but they are not as big nor as good as this box was.
I did not now they made fuzzless peaches . . . .in fact, from what I read, a fuzzless peach is a nectarine. Now I am confused. :-}
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suzicate said
Nectarines are the smooth skinned ones. However, peaches used to have a lot more fuzz on them. the new hybrids are practically fuzzless, but not in comparison to a nectarine. My father managed a apple and peach orchard when I was young. I remember how itchy peach fuzz was when you got it in your skin on a hot sweaty day! Peaches are fuzzless compared to back then, but not when compared to a nectarine. Sorry for the confusion.When I am in a grocery store, I can tell the difference because a nectarine is shiney where as a peach won’t shine because of the slight fuzz on them. I like the taste of a nectarine, crisp, where as a peach is more mellow and softer. The flavor of a peach is stronger and deeper. I’ll eat either one though!
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terrepruitt said
Oh, almost fuzzless.
Ha, no need to apologize for me being confused. I was confused when I came across the information that a necatrine is a peach. Because it is not, but it is —- so . . . huh? Makes me laugh how they catagorize things.
It is funny how so many things were different back then. Now-a-days can you buy a watermelon with seeds?
Thanks for explain though since I don’t eat peaches I really didn’t realize that now-a-days they are less fuzzy. Makes sense because most people I talk to say they don’t like the fuzz on a peach. So they probably work to breed that out.
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bsain said
I LOVE peaches. There’s a farm here that grows them and sells them on the side of the road but only from mid-June to mid-July. the best peaches ever!
I don’t like nectarines though… hmm, and you’re sure they’re the same thing?
Ok, I trust you.
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terrepruitt said
Yea, most people I know LOVE peaches too and they are shocked that I don’t. I bet they are the best peaches ever. Do you know how to do anything (as in can or preserve) them?
I don’t think they are the same thing, the internet is telling me they are. When I type in nectarine into Google, Peaches on Wiki comes up. It explains how there is a variation, but the nectarine comes from the peach. Odd.
So glad you trust me.
Big sparkly hug for you!!!
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