westelle:

Your information is correct.

Your peaches probably became "white" (instead of blood-red) due to the strange dry spring we had and the hot and cold and hot and cold summer we're having. Weather can impact coloring (and sugar content) in fruit (and flowers).

The citrus marriage is more complex.

Although some people still believe that citrus cross (and that's why you end up with sour oranges when they're next to lemons), the fact is that the SEEDS of the citrus are actually a fusion of the genetics of, in your case, the grapefruit and the lemon. As the seed develops, it develops its own gelatinous coating that also is that genetic fusion. The gelatinous coating imparts the flavor/oils into the flesh of the mother fruit. The genetics of the fruit, itself, does not change genetically.

Joe

Well, that's what I thought; but trust me... the fruit on this Cherokee Blood are White Peaches. The skin is pale golden white with a blush of pink, the flesh is pale, sweet white peach, and the interior color is off-white... just like the Babcock White Peaches that are just finishing ripening. I do hope you're right tho' because I don't want this every year. You can't can White Peaches.

The info on the citrus pips makes sense. Thanks for the info, Joe.

Why can't you can white peaches? Discoloration?

Joe

It's been my experience that white peaches (the real ones) don't have enough body to hold up to the high heat of canning. They were developed solely for eating out-of-hand. I am going to try cooking some in a sugar syrup to see if they hold up AND develop a wonderful flavor like the Cherokees do when canned.

Today I tried just cooking some of these "white" peaches in a light syrup. They did stay firm and developed a little more flavor, but still not what they should be. I don't know if I want to be bothered with all the effort of canning them.

On "Modern Marvels" last night they showed how the growers put down reflective mylar between the rows of peach trees, bouncing extra light on the fruit to get the desired reddening of the skin.

Home canned fruit is always special!

Gardeners living along the coast with more summer fog than summer sun are experimenting with red plastic under the tomatoes to help them color up. White peaches do not have the body needed to can without falling to pieces, forget it. Al

westelle:

Your red peach has not become a "white peach".

Although the color hasn't reached it's maximum redness due to weather, the genetics of the fruit hasn't changed and the texture should be exactly as a red peach should be.

Joe

Al: you are correct about the Babcock white peaches. Earlier-on I tried just frying some to put over ice cream. All I ended up with was mush.

Joe: You are also correct, the Cherokee Bloods don't have any color and not much flavor, but did hold up to cooking in syrup. I just don't think they're worth all the effort of canning. I just don't know what I'll do with all these sad peaches as they ripen.

i have a babcock, and we use it every year for peach pie. it is hands down the best tasting filling for pie, and it doesn't turn into mush. maybe because there is no stirring in making the pie, we don't experience the falling apart problem, but we really prefer it as a filling to our yellow peach. just a suggestion if you don't want to throw out the fruit. Mo