Peaches

Juicy and sweet

Peach is, par excellence, one of the summer fruits: fresh, sweet, thirst-quenching, versatile in its usage, and suitable for all diets. Peach is rich in sugar, organic acids, provitamin A; has a low calorie content (27 Kcal/100 g), and it shows a juicy and fleshy texture, due to the high water content; 100 g of peach contain is almost three quarters of Vitamin C the daily recommended allowance (RDA). Peach is ideal for fruit salads ,preparing ice creams and pastries . It is a particularly loved fruit by Chefs of all international cuisines and it is often used for several dishes in classical and modern confectionery creations; it is also used in fresh hors-d'œuvre and colourful buffets . At present the availablity of peach varieties are several hundred and this fruit is practically cultivated worldwide.

Peach origins

Peaches originate from China , where the peach tree is considered an immortality symbol; subsequently it was introduced to Persia (from where it derives its current name); later in the Mediterranean basin , just after Christ, and in Italy too.
In Egypt peach was sacred to Arpocrates , god of silence and childhood; in fact children's cheeks are still compared to peaches due to their softness and fleshy consistency . Italy is currently the second worldwide producer of peaches and nectarines (source FAO).