Juicy-sweet and robust Oregold peaches are so special that you'll want to eat 'em for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Their sunset color is so eye pleasing, their aroma enticing, and the fact that they are handpicked ensures only the best, nearly ripe fruit arrives at your door.
Since Oregold peaches are a freestone varietal of peach — meaning their pit doesn't cling to the center of the fruit — they are ideal for eating out of hand (remember to have plenty of napkins to catch their juicy splendor). And ripe Oregold peaches are perfect for canning and baking since their prep work is a breeze.
And if you didn't know this “peachy keen" fact, now you do: Nectarines are just fuzz-free peaches, and you can swap them for any of these "best of summer" peach recipes. So, what are you gonna do with your Oregold peaches?
Cool Off to 'Em
Eating peaches out of hand is a refreshing way to cool off, and so is pouring yourself a tall cold glass of homemade peach iced tea. Bring a jug to a summer cookout, enjoy it by the pool, or laze around the porch or yard. Making the simple syrup base with honey rather than granulated sugar offers richer color and floral notes to complement the peaches. Make the syrup in advance and store it in a glass jar until ready to use. And when the sun goes down, use the peach simple syrup in a summery black tea cocktail.
Muffin 'Em
Peach trees are in the same botanical family (Prunus) as other stone fruit trees like apricot, plum, cherry, and almond! So adding a bit of almond extract to the batter for these tender, moist muffins full of peach chunks complements and heightens their sweet flavor. The crunchy cinnamon streusel and vanilla glaze make their texture irresistible for an on-the-go treat or breakfast.
Bread 'Em
Panzanella is a traditional summer Tuscan salad that uses day-old bread to sop up salted tomatoes and cucumber. This fruity, fragrant twist draws from tradition to create a colorful, delicious, easy-to-pull-off feast for the senses that combines golden-baked bread cubes, fresh basil, peaches (of course!), cucumbers, and berries.
Can 'Em
Canning is a time-honored way to preserve a summer harvest and bring sunshine to cold winter months. Here are straightforward, step-by-step peach canning directions to start you on your summer canning journey. Pick perfectly ripe peaches (ready to eat out of hand) and get going. When winter rolls around, you'll be delighted to add them to spiced waffles or traditional pancakes, swap them for mangoes in this smoothie, or layer them onto a Dutch baby pancake. And serving fruit preserves with pork chops is on point.
Grill 'Em
Grilling peaches allows the fruit's sugars to caramelize, concentrating them and releasing their juices. Your just-shipped Oregolds are ideal for grilling since the sweet spot for this cooking method is to begin with fruit that is barely ripe and still a bit firm to the touch. Serve grilled peaches over toasted bread with salty, paper-thin prosciutto slices and milky burrata cheese. Or spoon them over ice cream for a memorable summer treat.
Cheers 'Em
With all their juices, Oregold peaches make a great addition to your favorite libations. Create a wonderfully fragrant margarita redolent with elderflower liqueur and topped with a refreshing floater of prosecco. Peel, pit, and chop your peaches, and blend with agave syrup and lime juice to create a smooth purée. Shake, pour, sip, repeat!
Pie' Em
A luscious peach pie begins with exquisite peaches, and we love this version that uses store-bought crust (or make your own). This peach pie recipe adds the warmth of cinnamon, but go ahead and try another spice, such as ginger or nutmeg, and add a pinch of salt, which brings out the fruit's sweetness even more. Cutting peaches into uniform slices assures they will bake evenly, resulting in a consistent and wonderful texture.
Pie 'Em Again
Once upon a time, two of summer's most succulent fruits — peaches and blueberries — fell in love. To celebrate, they decided to throw a party, inviting their friends vanilla and fragrant, woodsy thyme. Together, they all jumped into a warm buttery pie crust and rolled themselves into a pie perfectly sized to fit in your hand. Because summer fruit knows that love (and great pies) comes in packages big and small.Stack 'Em
Peach shortcakes are a fantastic seasonal twist on a classic dessert. In addition to using only the best fresh peaches, be sure to use a light touch to avoid working the fat into the dough. Those little nuggets of butter goodness will melt in the oven, delivering buttery, flaky biscuits to absorb those yummy peach juices. Dollops of cold whipped cream take this dessert from grand to grandeur.