The wait for juicy deliciousness is over—nectarines are back in season and ready for enjoyment! This farm-fresh fruit is great on its own and also pairs perfectly in salads, yogurts, desserts, jams, jellies, pastries and fruit salads. 

SELECTION AND STORAGE

While choosing nectarines at your local PlacerGROWN farmers’ market, ensure they’re firm (not hard), ripe and smooth. If you purchase a slightly hard one, store it at room temperature to soften. Nectarines only have a one-to-three day shelf life before they should be consumed or frozen. If you’d like to save them for longer, place them in the refrigerator and then return them to room temperature once ready to eat for the best natural flavor.

DID YOU KNOW?

The nectarine is a subspecies of the peach and, due to its lack of peach fuzz, is often referred to as a shaved peach. Although the two fruits are similar, nectarines are characteristically smaller and sweeter. It’s low in calories (only 44 in 100 grams) and packed with healthy antioxidants, minerals, dietary fiber and vitamins. The bright orange-red color of the nectarine is a result of the copious amount of beta-carotene that the fruit contains, which helps the body maintain a strong immune system, good vision, healthy skin and protection from cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Nectarine Feuilletées
Recipe by Carol Arnold

• 2 sheets butter puff pastry
• 3 tbsp. butter, softened
• ½ cup almonds, ground finely
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 5 medium nectarines
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup peach jam, warmed, sieved if chunky

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Cut the pastry sheets into eight 4½-inch rounds and put on the prepared baking sheets. Combine the butter, ground almonds and vanilla extract, then stir to form a paste. Divide the paste among the pastry rounds and spread evenly, leaving a 5/8 inch border around the edge of each. Halve the nectarines, remove the pits, and cut into ¼ inch slices. Arrange the nectarine slices over the pastry rounds, overlapping the slices and leaving a thin border. Sprinkle the sugar over the nectarines. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Brush the nectarines with the warm jam while still hot. Serve hot or at room temperature.  

— Carol Arnold // PlacerGROWN © fahrwasser/fotolia.com. Recipe photo courtesy of Carol Arnold.

For details on where to buy Placer County farm-fresh produce, wine, meat and other products, visit placergrown.org and foothillfarmersmarket.com.