July · San Diego
Peaches
Southern California stone fruit peaks through July. The combination of warm days and cool nights produces fruit with real sugar and real fragrance. This is the short window.
How to choose it
- Fragrant at the stem end — this is the most reliable test
- Gives slightly near the top when gently pressed
- Deep color, though variety varies
- Avoid hard or refrigerated peaches
Buy this much: 4–5 peaches for one person for the week. They do not all need to be eaten at once.
Stone fruit is most abundant and affordable in July. Peak season tends to bring prices down across most grocery stores, and peaches are often featured on sale.
During the week
- Sliced on Greek yogurt in the morning
- Added to a salad with chicken or salmon
- Eaten as a snack, ripe
On a weekend
Grilled peaches alongside chicken thighs with corn salad.
One thing worth learning
A peach ripens from the inside out. A soft shoulder near the stem means it is ready. A hard peach left on the counter will soften but will not improve the way tree-ripened fruit does.