Food Holidays: August 2022: National Peach Month. It’s funny that this is Peach Month. yesterday Charlie and I were walking through Walmart when Charlie asked for both Peach Tea and Lemon Tea. Before you ask yes, I went and got David both types of Tea. Would you like a glass of Tea?
National Peach Month
National Peach Month is in August each year. It is difficult to imagine Summertime without Peaches. Peach Season begins in June and lasts until the end of August. They say that August is when Peaches are at their peak. The Peach is a symbol of youth and immortality, as well as fertility and union(in Chinese culture. Therefore many Chinese brides carry Peach Blossoms on their Wedding days.
Peach also makes a great Wedding decor color scheme for brides. Overall, the Peach holds a special significance in Chinese culture, and the only true wild Peaches can be found there. Which are sour, smaller in size, and very fuzzy. Did you know there are over 700 varieties of Peaches in the world today. Including Nectarines, which are a variant of Peaches and not a cross between Peaches and Plums. Peaches and Nectarines only differ in their skin texture Peaches are velvety, while Nectarines are smooth. Peaches is classified as a drupe, which means the Peach has a hard stone in the center. There are two kinds of Peaches: Clingstone and Freestone. The names themselves give you an accurate idea of how to differentiate between the two.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PEACH MONTH
Today you need to let Peach be your theme. May your days be peachy as you gear up to celebrate National Peach Month during August. The tradition dates back to June 16th, 1982, when President Ronald Reagan declared that August would officially be National Peach Month for health and nutritional reasons, which we highly appreciate. Peaches are a rich source of Vitamin A and C. Peaches are great for the gut too. It makes perfect sense that President Reagan wanted Peaches to be included in the American diet by promoting Peaches through programs and activities all through the month of August.
There is much to celebrate in a month dedicated to Peaches and all that is associated with Peaches. Within this month itself, one can celebrate Eat a Peach Day on August 22nd and National Peach Pie Day on August 24th. Who doesn’t love a good food holiday? Before you reach for a slice of Peach Pie sink your teeth into the fleshy goodness of a Peach itself. Then take a minute to learn something new about Fruits.
The history of the Peach can be traced all the way back to ancient China, in 6000 B.C. in the Zhejiang Province. Peaches were initially discovered in its wild form, the Chinese domesticated the Peaches, and Peaches became a luxury food, eaten by the Emperors and served in royal circles only.
Somehow, the Persians then got a hold of Peaches, and it spread to the Persian Empire, with the Romans terming Peaches as the Persian Apple. Thanks to Alexander the Great, Europe then got a taste of Peaches and by the 1500s, so did America. As Spanish explorers like Christopher Columbus introduced Peaches on American shores.
Today, China is actually the biggest producer of Peaches globally with Italy following a close second. As for America, Peaches are actually the third most popular Fruit grown in the Nation. The U.S. supplies about a quarter of the World’s total supply of fresh Peaches.
NATIONAL PEACH MONTH ACTIVITIES
- We can’t be the only ones excited about National Peach Month, since all over North America, there are various Peach Festivals, happening this time of year. Why not check out a Peach Festival this month, and to whet your appetite, we bring you a few suggestions: the Penticton Peach Festival, or the Winona Festival.
- Where do we even begin when it comes to listing out the million and one ways in which peaches can satisfy every kind of sweet craving by starring in myriad desserts. If you need ideas to start you off, you have only to look at some of the other national food holidays like Peach Melba Day, Peach Ice-Cream Day, and Peaches, and Cream Day. So without further ado, gran your apron and get your family to join you in the kitchen and turn those Peaches into a dessert.
- Did you know there is a world of Peach-themed literature out there for kids and adults alike. Whether you want to revisit a childhood classic like “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl or try some new ones like “Peach,” by Emma Glass, or “Each Peach Pear Plum,” by Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg for little children learning to read.
5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT PEACHES
- Every year, the world’s largest Peach Cobbler is made in Georgia, measuring a good 11 ft. by 5 ft.
- “You’re a real peach which is a popular phrase originated from the tradition of giving the friend you liked most a Peach.
- The largest Peach in the world is located in Gaffney, South Carolina, and weighs over 10,000 pounds.
- The average Peach Tree produces Fruit for 12 years and can be harvested multiple times in the same Season.
- Did you know Peaches can actually come in three different colors? Yellow, white, and red.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL PEACH MONTH
- It’s time for Fruit to get the appreciation it deserves, considering how Fruits are pretty much great for us in every way! Peaches are packed with vitamin C and A, as well as being a great source of Fiber. It comes as no surprise that we want to celebrate Peaches all month long. Not to mention how great Peaches are in desserts.
- Going beyond just the Fruit, this month can also celebrate the color Peach, or what Peaches represent in different Cultures and literature. There is so much to explore relating to Peaches, including the color peach, Peach Flowers, and the Peach Tree. Especially in the realm of cosmetics, folklore, spirituality, and even dream symbolism!
- Peaches are everywhere. Not just in myriad forms for consumption, but also in songs, books, art, and all other forms of Pop Culture the world over. From the song ‘Peaches’ by Justin Bieber to the Peach getting its oow Emoji and being used to allude to many different things, Peaches rule the world apparently.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
