Savoring 'squashed' peaches of immortality
By Tan Weiyun |
August 10, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THOSE funny-looking, "squashed" peaches now on the market are actually the fruit of immortality grown by the Heavenly Queen Mother in Chinese mythology.
These small peento peaches (pantao) are exceptionally "peachy" in taste, sweet and juicy, with a sunken center and petite pit.
The peento peach festival is underway in Luxiang Town, Jinshan District, the famous growing area of this flat, "saucer" peach.
Typhoon Haikui has damaged around 30 percent of the harvest, local officials report. But most of the fruit is fine and the festival is not expected to be impacted.
It runs through August 20 and visitors are welcome to pluck fruit.
This year it will cost around 8.60 yuan (US$1.36) to pick 1 kilogram of peaches, each weighing around 125g. Bigger peaches weighing more than 200g are priced at 50 yuan per kilogram.
Last December, China's Trademark Office designated Jinshan Peento as a Jinshan specialty fruit to set it apart from peento pretenders.
Luxiang is around an hour's drive from the city center and visitors are welcome to stop along the road at the orchards and pick fruit.
"Just give it a slight twist. Scissors are not allowed," says 60-year-old grower Ma Jinshou, the "Peento King" in 2007. His younger brother Ma Jinlin was crowned in 2008. Their orchard is open.
Peach growers will be on hand to help "one-day farmers" select and carefully pick the ripe fruit.
The peach is ripe if the green color has completely faded and the flesh turns white or yellow, depending on the variety, Ma says. "Inhale and enjoy the intense peachy aroma."
Peaches can be plucked with a slight twist but the twig itself should not be broken or damaged, otherwise, the whole tree's peach production can be affected next year.
Those who don't want to drive to the suburbs can buy Jinshan peento peaches in downtown markets.
Since last Friday, 400,000kg of peento peaches have been distributed to 30 fruit markets, 38 supermarkets and 200 peach counters.
It's the district's first effort to cooperate with big retailers and send fresh peaches downtown, says Ye Jiankang, spokesman of the Luxiang Town Government. "It helps lower logistics costs for farmers and also lets more Shanghai residents taste Jinshan's fresh produce."
Grower Ma gives more advice on plucking: "Pay attention to the color and luster first and then smell the fruity flavor to roughly judge whether it is fresh or not."
The better-quality peaches are symmetrically shaped, smooth and without coarse fiber and easy to peel.
Growing peaches has been a part of Luxiang's economy for three decades. It's China's largest peento cultivation area and covers 667 hectares. The Peento Peach Famers' Association has more than 330 members, and the output value this year is expected to reach 8,000-10,000 yuan per mu (667 square meters).
Once there, not only can visitors pick peaches, but they can also have authentic home-cooked meals at farmers' eateries.
How to get there
Take G60 (toward Jinshanwei) or S4 (toward Jiaxing). Switch to G1501 and then S19. Exit at Luxiang, drive to Zhulu Road, turn right on Jinshi Road.
Take G60, and then switch to G15 (toward Ningbo). Exit at Jinshan Industrial Park. Take Zhulu Road, right on Jinshi Road.
To store, wash and enjoy the peento
? Peaches are best stored at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. Low temperatures reduces the fragrance and sweetness of the fruit.
? To wash away the peach fuzz on peento or other peaches, moisten the fruit in a bowl, coat them with fine salt, rub gently and wash. Repeat as needed. Briefly dipping peaches in baking soda water makes the fuzz come off easily, almost by itself.
? Soaking peaches in cold water (about 10 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes before eating will cool the fruit while retaining fragrance and sweetness. But soaking for too long will diminish the taste.
Summer fruits in harvest
Grape in Malu, Jiading District
Malu Town boasts more than 267 hectares of vineyard that produces almost 70 types of grapes. People can enjoy sweet grapes from late July to October. This year grapes can be home delivered throughout Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
Yellow peach in Guangming Village, Fengxian District
Known for the yellow flesh, the peach has been approved as the National Geographical Indication Product by the Trademark Office under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. Featuring big size, sweet taste and round shape, it is in season from mid-August and is ready for picking.
These small peento peaches (pantao) are exceptionally "peachy" in taste, sweet and juicy, with a sunken center and petite pit.
The peento peach festival is underway in Luxiang Town, Jinshan District, the famous growing area of this flat, "saucer" peach.
Typhoon Haikui has damaged around 30 percent of the harvest, local officials report. But most of the fruit is fine and the festival is not expected to be impacted.
It runs through August 20 and visitors are welcome to pluck fruit.
This year it will cost around 8.60 yuan (US$1.36) to pick 1 kilogram of peaches, each weighing around 125g. Bigger peaches weighing more than 200g are priced at 50 yuan per kilogram.
Last December, China's Trademark Office designated Jinshan Peento as a Jinshan specialty fruit to set it apart from peento pretenders.
Luxiang is around an hour's drive from the city center and visitors are welcome to stop along the road at the orchards and pick fruit.
"Just give it a slight twist. Scissors are not allowed," says 60-year-old grower Ma Jinshou, the "Peento King" in 2007. His younger brother Ma Jinlin was crowned in 2008. Their orchard is open.
Peach growers will be on hand to help "one-day farmers" select and carefully pick the ripe fruit.
The peach is ripe if the green color has completely faded and the flesh turns white or yellow, depending on the variety, Ma says. "Inhale and enjoy the intense peachy aroma."
Peaches can be plucked with a slight twist but the twig itself should not be broken or damaged, otherwise, the whole tree's peach production can be affected next year.
Those who don't want to drive to the suburbs can buy Jinshan peento peaches in downtown markets.
Since last Friday, 400,000kg of peento peaches have been distributed to 30 fruit markets, 38 supermarkets and 200 peach counters.
It's the district's first effort to cooperate with big retailers and send fresh peaches downtown, says Ye Jiankang, spokesman of the Luxiang Town Government. "It helps lower logistics costs for farmers and also lets more Shanghai residents taste Jinshan's fresh produce."
Grower Ma gives more advice on plucking: "Pay attention to the color and luster first and then smell the fruity flavor to roughly judge whether it is fresh or not."
The better-quality peaches are symmetrically shaped, smooth and without coarse fiber and easy to peel.
Growing peaches has been a part of Luxiang's economy for three decades. It's China's largest peento cultivation area and covers 667 hectares. The Peento Peach Famers' Association has more than 330 members, and the output value this year is expected to reach 8,000-10,000 yuan per mu (667 square meters).
Once there, not only can visitors pick peaches, but they can also have authentic home-cooked meals at farmers' eateries.
How to get there
Take G60 (toward Jinshanwei) or S4 (toward Jiaxing). Switch to G1501 and then S19. Exit at Luxiang, drive to Zhulu Road, turn right on Jinshi Road.
Take G60, and then switch to G15 (toward Ningbo). Exit at Jinshan Industrial Park. Take Zhulu Road, right on Jinshi Road.
To store, wash and enjoy the peento
? Peaches are best stored at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. Low temperatures reduces the fragrance and sweetness of the fruit.
? To wash away the peach fuzz on peento or other peaches, moisten the fruit in a bowl, coat them with fine salt, rub gently and wash. Repeat as needed. Briefly dipping peaches in baking soda water makes the fuzz come off easily, almost by itself.
? Soaking peaches in cold water (about 10 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes before eating will cool the fruit while retaining fragrance and sweetness. But soaking for too long will diminish the taste.
Summer fruits in harvest
Grape in Malu, Jiading District
Malu Town boasts more than 267 hectares of vineyard that produces almost 70 types of grapes. People can enjoy sweet grapes from late July to October. This year grapes can be home delivered throughout Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
Yellow peach in Guangming Village, Fengxian District
Known for the yellow flesh, the peach has been approved as the National Geographical Indication Product by the Trademark Office under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. Featuring big size, sweet taste and round shape, it is in season from mid-August and is ready for picking.
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