Nectarines

Nectarines are peaches without the fuzz, and they carry a little more aromatic intensity and a firmer bite. We pick them ripe rather than hard, which means they are ready now and will not hold long - keep them at room temperature until they give to gentle thumb pressure, then refrigerate and use within a couple of days. Never stack them deep; the shoulders bruise first. Sold fresh through local Alabama delivery, farm pickup, and our farmers-market stand.

• Grown in: Lineville, Alabama (no synthetic pesticides)
• Freshness: Harvested at peak and sold fresh
• Availability: Seasonal - local Alabama delivery & pickup
• Storage: Refrigerate and enjoy fresh
• Why it's good: Nutrient-dense and picked at peak freshness

• Storage: Shoulders down at room temperature until they give to gentle pressure, then refrigerated
• Shelf life: 2 to 3 days once ripe
• Washing: Rinse just before eating. Stored wet, the skin marks and moulds.
• Using: Raw and dripping, over the sink. Otherwise halved and grilled or roasted, where the firmer flesh holds together better than a peach does.

Is a nectarine just a peach without fuzz?
Essentially yes - it is the same species, differing by a single recessive gene for smooth skin. In practice nectarines run a little firmer and a little more aromatic, which is why they grill better.

Where do they bruise first?
The shoulders, around the stem. Store them stem-down on a flat surface and never stack them more than one deep.

Should I refrigerate them right away?
Not while firm - cold stops the ripening and can leave the flesh dry and mealy. Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate to hold them for a couple more days.