A peach that actually tastes like a peach? What a novel concept!

[Brad Johnson]

The last couple years seems to have spawned a plethora of big, pretty, impressive looking fruits which are rediculously sweet.  Unfortunately the sugar content seems to have come at the expense of flavor.  The last few times I bought some I was seriously disappointed.  Those big pretty peaches had no flavor at all.  None.  Not the slightest hint of peachiness to interrupt the intense sweetness.

However...

I took a chance on some peaches yesterday.  Not as big or pretty, and no fancy trademarked hybrid name, but they actually taste like a peach should taste.  No overpowering sweetness either.  A straightforward, good, enjoyable peach.  Where did I get this gastronomic anomaly, you ask?  WalMart.  Yes, Walmart.  Amazing as it may seem, I think their pursuit of low prices is directly to thank.  Rather than some high dollar named hybrid they have run-of-the-mill regular fruits they haven't had the flavor bred out in an attempt to make them prettier or more transport-stable.

Oh, they also has some pretty good plums, too.

Brad

[zxcvbob]

Were they Colorado or Utah peaches?  Those are sometimes pretty good, even from Walmart.  (California peaches are always bleh, unless maybe you buy them in California)

Wife bought a lug of Georgia peaches from some church fundraiser last week.  "Youth for Christ", but I don't know what church.  They were pretty, but slightly green, odorless, and hard as a rock.  Surprise!  They softened up overnight and started smelling like peaches.  They were juicy and tasted wonderful.  Not as good as picked fresh from your own tree, but getting close.

[Brad Johnson]

No idea where they came from.  They were so good I've already eaten them so no labels to check.  If I were guessing I'd say they probably came from Colorado or one of the South Texas growers.  Big fruit orchards down in the Rio Grande Valley area.

I used to have two big yellow cling trees that I lost to borers.  For years I've thought about putting in a couple more.  Never seemed to get around to it though.

Brad

[Perd Hapley]

Shut up, Mouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1EcrD5IyxM#t=0m19s

[Hawkmoon]

I took a chance on some peaches yesterday.  Not as big or pretty, and no fancy trademarked hybrid name, but they actually taste like a peach should taste.  No overpowering sweetness either.  A straightforward, good, enjoyable peach.  Where did I get this gastronomic anomaly, you ask?  WalMart.  Yes, Walmart.  Amazing as it may seem, I think their pursuit of low prices is directly to thank.  Rather than some high dollar named hybrid they have run-of-the-mill regular fruits they haven't had the flavor bred out in an attempt to make them prettier or more transport-stable.

Oh, they also has some pretty good plums, too.

I bought half a dozen ears of fresh corn at Wal-Mart about three weeks ago. It was great. A week ago I bought three ears at the local supermarket. The stupid market stuff cost as much for three ears as Wal-Mart charged for six, the supermarket stuff was ratty once I husked it, and it had no taste whatsoever. Unfortunately, the Wal-Marts nearest to me aren't big enough to have a real grocery section.

[RoadKingLarry]

I put 3 bushels of roasting ears in the freezer this year. Less than 24 hours field to freezer.
Next week we're making a run down to one of the local peach orchards, at least 2 bushels, probably 3.
If you can't grow it your self there is probably a local grower wherre you can get it fresh.
Produce from a grocery store/supermarket is a crap shoot as far as how fresh it really is.

[Perd Hapley]

We just got some taters from somebody's garden. My wife plans to cook 'em with duck fat from Williams Sonoma.

[230RN]

I don't know, but for the past 2-3 years I haven't been able to buy decent peaches.  They're hard as rocks and taste like wet paper mache.  I suspected they developed a new strain or something and were testing the market here in the Denver area (Denver's a big market testing area).

Finally found decent ones at King Soopers (=City Market, Kroger), but they have to ripen a day or two. 

[lupinus]

Gah, it's hard to find good peaches and produce in general sometimes. Don't get me started on most of the tomatoes in supermarkets.

Problem is that a lot of varieties have been developed to survive shipping and look pretty on the shelf. Flavor often isn't top of the list.

[wmenorr67]

I put 3 bushels of roasting ears in the freezer this year. Less than 24 hours field to freezer.
Next week we're making a run down to one of the local peach orchards, at least 2 bushels, probably 3.
If you can't grow it your self there is probably a local grower wherre you can get it fresh.
Produce from a grocery store/supermarket is a crap shoot as far as how fresh it really is.

Porter?

[MillCreek]

[lupinus]

I get slapped every time I pass that damned thing with my wife in the car 

[Ron]

Eat a peach

[RoadKingLarry]

Porter?

The corn came from Bixby, the peaches from Porter.

[Perd Hapley]

I submit that peaches have never been particularly toothsome.