nectarine

Click to Play

Diseno web con Flash - Mascara

Click to Play

How to Create a Web Operating System Today

Click to Play

Using FTP to Get Your Web Site Online

Click to Play

Web Hosting 101: What Shared Web Hosting is

View more Food & Cooking videos

nectarine

A fruit originally from China, the nectarine resembles the peach and belongs to the same family. Both freestone and clingstone varieties of nectarine are sold under the same name. The nectarine is distinguished from the peach by its smooth and more colorful skin and its slightly tastier flesh. Its white or yellow flesh is firm, juicy, sweet and slightly tart.

Buying

Choose: perfumed nectarines that are not too hard, and have no spots, cracks or bruises.

Avoid: fruit with a green tinge.

Preparing

To prevent nectarine flesh from oxidizing, eat immediately or sprinkle with lemon or lime juice, wine, vinegar or vinaigrette, depending on how it is going to be used. It isn't necessary to peel nectarines, but if this is preferred, plunge them for about 1 min in boiling water, then cool in cold water to stop the effect of the heat, without letting them soak.

Serving Ideas

Nectarines are excellent plain. They can be cooked, dried, preserved, candied or frozen. They are prepared in the same way as peaches, which they can replace in most recipes. They are used in pies, fruit salads, cakes, yogurt, ice cream, sorbets and crepes. They are made into jelly, jam, marinades, juice and liqueur.

Storing

Handle nectarines carefully, as they become damaged easily. Do not store them piled up on each other and wash only before using. 

At room temperature: a few days. Place nectarines in a paper bag to accelerate ripening.

In the fridge: extended keeping time. For more flavor, let stand at room temperature for a while before eating.

In the freezer: pitted, blanched and peeled. When the fruit is very ripe, freeze as a compote or purée. Add lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

Nectarines can be preserved.

Nutritional Information

Browse other fruits: Introduction | Dried fruits | Candied fruits | Rhubarb | Currant | Blueberry/Bilberry | Blackberry | Raisin | Strawberry | Raspberry | Cranberry | Grape | Winter cherry | Plum | Prune | Nectarine | Peach | Date | Cherry | Apricot | Apple | Pear | Quince | Loquat | Pomelo | Grapefruit | Lemon | Orange | Mandarin | Kumquat | Lime | Citron | Bergamot | Banana | Plantain | Durian | Jaboticaba | Carambola | Cherimoya | Tamarillo | Jackfruit | Rambutan | Longan | Pepino | Persimmon | Lychee | Papaya | Pomegranate | Kiwifruit | Feijoa | Jujube | Passion fruit | Guava | Asian pear | Mango | Mangosteen | Horned melon | Sapodilla | Prickly pear | Melon | Fig | Watermelon | Pineapple

Browse other foods: Vegetables | Legumes | Fruits | Nuts and Seeds | Seaweeds | Mushrooms | Cereals and Grains | Fish | Crustaceans | Mollusks | Herbs, Spices and Seasonings | Meats | Variety Meats | Delicatessen Meats | Poultry | Dairy Products | Sugars, Cocoa and Carob | Fats and Oils | Binders and Leavenings | Coffee, Tea and Herbal Teas

(click to enlarge)
Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarina) (credit: J.C. Allen and Son)

Smooth-skinned peach (Prunus persica nectarina'), grown throughout warmer temperate regions. They result when some peaches self-pollinate or are crossed so that they express a genetic factor for smooth skin. Nectarines are commonly eaten fresh or cooked in desserts and jams; they are a good source of vitamins A and C.

For more information on nectarine, visit Britannica.com.

A smooth-skinned, fuzzless form of peach, Prunus persica. The nectarine's, lack of pubescence is a simple recessive genetic characteristic. Classically, the fruits were thought of as being somewhat smaller, softer, and richer in flavor than those of the peach. More recently developed cultivars, however, approximate fresh-market peaches in size and firmness but are not usually superior in flavor.

California is practically the sole commercial producer of nectarines. There is a considerable number of plantings in irrigated areas in south-central Washington. See also Fruit; Fruit, tree; Peach; Rosales.

Smooth-skinned peach (Prunus persica var. nectarina). One medium-sized fruit, 150 g weighed with stone, provides 3 g of dietary fibre and is a rich source of vitamin A (as carotene); a good source of vitamin C; a source of copper; supplies 70 kcal (300 kJ).

[nehk-tah-REEN] The nectarine's flesh is sweet, succulent and firmer than that of its relative, the peach. When ripe, its smooth skin is a brilliant golden yellow with generous blushes of red. Nectarines are available from midspring to late September with a peak during July and August. Look for fragrant, brightly colored fruit that gives slightly to the touch. Avoid those with bruises or other blemishes as well as those that are hard or overly green. Slightly underripe nectarines can be left to ripen at room temperature for a couple of days. Ripe fruit should be refrigerated and used within 5 days. They're wonderful eaten out of hand and can be used in salads, a variety of fresh and cooked desserts and as a garnish for many hot and cold dishes. Nectarines contain a fair amount of vitamins A and C.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

• Fruits

Dansk (Danish)
n. - nektarin

Nederlands (Dutch)
nectarine

Français (French)
n. - nectarine, brugnon, brugnonier

Deutsch (German)
n. - Nektarine

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) μηλοροδάκινο, νεκταρίνι

Italiano (Italian)
nettarina

Português (Portuguese)
n. - nectarina (f)

Русский (Russian)
нектарин

Español (Spanish)
n. - nectarina, pelón

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - nektarin

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
油桃

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 油桃

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 복숭아

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ネクタリン

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نوع من الدراق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮נקטרינה, אפרסק-שזיף‬