Ripening peaches?

[jesvet]

(Or any fruit, I suppose)

Is there any specific way to accelerate the ripening of peaches? I know with some fruit you're supposed to put them in a paper bag- is this the best/ony way to do it? I tried this with some underripe peaches a few weeks ago and they really just went from hard, hard, hard, to rotten. All of the stores are carrying them, but they all are way too underripe to do anything with.

[Ericka_Jarett]

I usually just leave the peaches on the counter for a few days, softens them without making them too ripe.

As for the paper bag method, you only are suppose to leave them in a day or 2 really and then check them daily to make sure they don't get too soft or bad.

[Asha]

sun

really the type of peach you get makes a huge difference. i had that same experience as you as it went from hard to soft, but once it was soft it wasn't sweet. i switched the stores i bought the peaches the next time, and my peaches tasted good once they became ripe. make sure you get them into the fridge as soon as they are ripe.

[jesvet]

Hmm, I think I must have missed a day checking on them.

Does anyone know if white or yellow peaches are better? I have a recipe for a very lowfat peach upside down cake and it looks soooo good! *impatient*

[Adaya]

Does anyone know if white or yellow peaches are better? I have a recipe for a very lowfat peach upside down cake and it looks soooo good! *impatient*

For cooking, I've found that yellow peaches work the best. That's just my experience though. I bake a lot with peaches and have tried a couple of recipes with white peaches, and I find that the yellow just cook and taste a little bit better.

White peaches are fine to eat fresh or to slice, let macerate and then eat with ice cream or something like that.

[jesvet]

Thanks Adaya! :D

[Ericka_Jarett]

I agree I think yellow would be better in a cake. I just bought some white peaches and not big into the flavor, bit tart.

[jesvet]

Oh good, because I got the yellow ones. :D I'm all about the sweet!

[emschwar]

I believe they ripen faster in a paper bag if you throw a ripe banana in there with them. The banana emits a gas that makes other fruit ripen faster.

[jesvet]

My housekeeper just threw away the paper bag they were in and put them in the fridge. I have no more paper bags. :( UGH!

Maybe I will put them in one of my cloth bags with a ripe banana.