How to pick nectarines

3 min read

A peach without the fuzz, and less forgiving because there is no fuzz to hide the damage.

What to look for

1
The same rule as peaches: read the background colour, ignore the red
2
Ripe fruit smells like nectarine at the stem end. If it smells of nothing, it is not ready
3
The skin marks at the slightest knock, so handle each one individually into the container
4
A gentle press at the shoulder, never the sides, should give slightly
5
Wrinkling around the stem means it is past its best rather than perfectly ripe

Seasons are short and local. See which pick-your-own farms have nectarines on right now.