Updated February 17, 2024
Observed annually on June 21, it is National Peaches ‘n’ Cream Day. Peaches ‘n’ Cream sounds like a perfect way to start summer solstice. Actually, it also sounds like the ideal way to end summer solstice!
Peaches ‘n’ Cream is a simple, traditional and delicious summertime dessert. Of course, the Georgia peach is in season during June, as are those grown in Florida, California and South Carolina. Make some homemade vanilla ice cream to sweeten the deal and your peaches ‘n’ cream will be all the cooler.
It’s interesting that doctors theorize that Typhoid Mary may have spread the bacteria through cut-up raw peaches in frozen ice cream. So, wash those hands vigorously!
- 79 AD – Peaches were mentioned in literature as early as 79 A.D. .
- The Romans called the peaches “Persian Apples” naming them after the country that introduced peaches to the West.
- 1500s – Spanish monks introduce peaches to North America in the area of St. Augustine, Florida.
- 1607 – Peaches become widespread around Jamestown, Virginia.
- 1897 – A French chef Auguste Escoffier invents Peach Melba, a dessert similar to peaches ‘n’ cream, at the Savoy Hotel in London to honor the Australian soprano, Nellie Melba.
- 1900 – French chef Auguste Escoffier swaps the ice cream with raspberry purée to create a new version of the Peach Melba dessert.
- 1981 – The World’s Largest Peach is located in Gaffney, South Carolina, and weighs over 10,000 pounds. The city of Gaffney, near Greenville, built their water tower in the shape of a peach back in 1981.
- “You’re a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to a friend you liked.
- A medium peach contains only 39 calories.
- There are over 700 varieties of peaches-some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks!
- China is the largest world producer of peaches, with Italy second.
- California produces more than 50% of the peaches in the United States (and grows 175 different varieties).
- So many peaches are grown in Georgia that it became known as the Peach State.
- You can ripen peaches by placing them in a brown paper bag for two to three days.
- Nectarines are a variety of peaches with smooth skin, not a cross between a peach and a plum.
- Peaches are the third most popular fruit grown in America.
- The health benefits of peach fruit include relief from hypokalemia, cancer, obesity, cholesterol, blood stasis and neurodegenerative diseases.
- The peach is a member of the rose family and is a close relative of almonds.
- Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are stone fruits. They are called “stone fruit” because of the hard pits surrounding their seeds.
- Many famous artists have painted still life with peach fruits placed in prominence. Caravaggio, Vicenzo Campi, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Henri Fantin-Latour, Severin Roesen, Peter Paul Rubens, Van Gogh are among the many influential artists who painted peaches and peach trees in various settings.
- Renoir encouraged students to improve their painting skills by reproducing the textures and colors of peaches.
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