Nectarine

A nectarine is a smooth-skinned stone fruit closely related to the peach. Its flesh ranges from white to deep yellow with a juicy snap when bitten. Commonly eaten fresh, it slices into salads, grills to caramelize edges, and bakes into crisps, pies, and tarts; sold as freestone or clingstone in yellow or white varieties.

Cultivated in China for millennia, nectarines spread west through Central Asia to the Mediterranean and later to the Americas. Major production now includes California and the southeastern United States, with breeding focused on flavor, firmness, and shipping quality.