Seasonal
When Peaches Are at Their Best
A stone fruit has a two-week window. Here is how to catch it.

Stone fruit does not wait. A peach picked even slightly early never reaches its perfume; one left too long bruises in the crate. The window is short, and the reward is real.
The two-week window
Between the first blush and the last harvest, a peach has perhaps two weeks of perfection. Miss it and you will eat decent peaches all year and wonder what the fuss was about.
Catching the peak
Look for
- 01A floral perfume at the stem
- 02A shoulder that gives when pressed gently
- 03A fruit that feels heavy with juice

Enjoy them quickly
Eat stone fruit at room temperature and do not apologise for finishing the box in one sitting. It is the whole point of the season.
End of story
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The fruit letter
The Fruit Letter
Seasonal fruit. Recipes. Stories from the orchard. Delivered occasionally.
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