Donut Peaches ... Yum-Ola!

Being a southerner through and through has some built in expectations. We prefer grits to cream of wheat; we say yes ma'am and yes sir; our menfolk open the doors for us; and we can spot a ripe peach in every bunch.

For the first time, over the weekend, I bought something called a "donut peach," and was the hit of our friends and family at our Summerfest picnic. They were so good, in fact, that I went back and bought a couple more on Sunday, and had to go again today over lunch. They're slightly more pricey than the plain ol' round varieties, but they're worth it. Good fruit goes fast at our house.

At Harris Teeter and at Whole Foods the signage reads the same: donut peach, yet when I looked them up online they were also referred to as "saturn peaches." The nod to donuts and to Saturn come from the dimple in the center of the peach, making it look like a donut from one angle and the rings of Saturn from another.

I found an interesting blog called Tea & Cookies with a bit of history on the Saturn donut peaches: "Donut peaches originated in China. These flat, white-flesh peaches were grown in the U.S. in the 1800s but eventually fell out of favor; Americans seemed to prefer yellow peaches. These days donut peaches are making a comeback, being grown commercially in Washington and California."

Whatever they call it, one thing's for certain—these uniquely shaped freestone peaches are sweet and have a nice consistency. They're neither too fuzzy, nor too tart. The skin is a creamy yellow that fades into a deeper shade of red in the center depressed hole. They might just be the perfect peach.

Over the weekend I peeled a bunch of them, sliced them in thick slices and sprinkled just a bit of sugar and lemon juice on them to keep them from turning brown. Two hours later ... yum-ola!

• Have you tried donut peaches?
• Got any interesting peach recipes?