Saturn Peaches

I saw these curious little peaches at the store last week and decided to buy a few. After flinching at the price at the checkout counter, I took them home and let them ripen a few days in a paper bag.

They're called saturn peaches, among several other monickers: peento, Chinese flat peach or saucer peach. After a little research, I discovered that they were imported to the U.S. from China in the 1800's and were popular for several years directly after World War II. As many new varieties of yellow-fleshed peaches gained popularity, the saturn variety was nearly forgotten. Saturn peaches are much flatter in height than traditional peaches, with a slight center depression top and bottom. It has yellow skin, slightly blushed with red. This juicy peach has a superb flavor and is very low in acid. Saturn peaches are excellent for baking, glazing, sautéing in butter and brown sugar, but best of all eaten out of hand. It’s not nearly as messy as other peaches, but it has more flavor. Slice the peach around the pit, and the peach just pulls apart as you twist it. (Source)

Yum!