Nectarines

I love a good nectarine. Unfortunately, the ones that come from the supermarket are very rarely any good. They start showing up around this time of year, and I usually buy 2-3 of them a week until they trail off. But it’s such a crapshoot as to what you’ll actually get when you bite into them. I like them once they get to the stage where they are soft, but not mushy or mealy, and full of juice. I can live with a little mush, but the mealy texture is so unappealing. If they’re too firm and tart, they’re not all that great either, but at least I will eat one that way.

I ate the one on the left right after taking ths photo. It was hard and tart, and I managed to bite the pit as well, and chipped a front tooth a little. The one on the right is sitting in a brown paper bag on my desk, and I am hoping it will be the right level of ripeness when I eat it tomorrow. wish me luck.