English Name: Nectarine
Botanical Name : Prunus persicavar . nucipersica
DESCRIPTION: A juicy kind of fuzzless peach fruit with a smooth shiny skin.
Nectarines have a sweet orange colored flesh full of juice grows more in northern latitudes than its more tender cousin the peach.
ORIGIN: The origin of Nectarine is not that clear because there seems to be a corollation between the Nectarine and the Peach fruit. It is said to be a mutant branch originated from a peach tree with a plum. The peach fruit is native to China and the the Nectarine arose from peach trees later selected by man. It was later brought to and spread across Europe before it was later brought to North America.
However, no specific literature or imagery specifically of the nectarine, but it did occur in the peach orchards. Whether nectarines were celebrated or destroyed is known; as they are edible peaches but it seems likely for the fruit to have been appreciated regardless of when or where it appeared. Peach trees were discovered in Greece in 300 B.C written by Pliny.
In Persia, peach seed was sent and grown into trees by 1 B.C . According to history in drawings in the Mt Vesuvius destroyed city of Herculaneum in Italy, images of the peach existed in 79 A.D it was later brought to Mexico in the 15th century by the Spanish. The peach’s popularity was reinforced in Europe in the 16th century by the Italian paintings.
By 1630, nectarines were grown in England in fact, six different varieties were grown in England. In fact, six different varieties were recorded “Nectarine” means sweet as nectar. It produced it’s fruit from mid-June until the end of September.
NATURAL BENEFITS: Nectarines are low in calories (100g just provide 44calories) contains no saturated fats. They are indeed packed with numerous health promoting antioxidant, minerals and vitamins like niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine and pyridoxine.
USES: Eaten raw as desserts, added to fruit salads. The fruit can be used to make jams, jelly, mixed fruit. Used also to prepare pies, crumbles, soup, tart, cheese cake etc.
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