This is why it would be hard for me to make a fruit tier list. I think you need to have 2 lists, a list for each fruit at mid and a list for each fruit at its best. For example, I tend to eat apples, strawberries, or grapefruits pretty regularly even when they are not at their best because I still enjoy them at mid so in my mind they would be top of the mid list. But something like a peach or a pineapple will be at the top of the other list even though I probably won’t eat them at mid. I have a simple rule for peaches which is if I am in the store and I can smell them, I have to buy them. Works every time and I get damn good peaches that way. I’ve always wanted to try a fresh peach off a tree and I imagine it’s like fruit heroin.
We used to buy fresh peaches roadside when on vacation and driving through Georgia. They were delicious. I don’t know if roadside stands still have the same quality these days, but they’ve gotta be better than chain grocery stores.
When I was young, we had family friends with a small peach orchard. So each year would always get a couple of bushels of tree fresh peaches.
The OP is spot on. I’ve never had a peach come close to how amazing they were.
But to your point, there was still a variance among those peaches too. However that was 95% to do with how ripe they were.
It became a game in our family on timing the peaches peak ripeness. You had to balance on how close you wanted it to get against if someone else might eat it first.
Apples… there’s so much variety. Different types. Even in shops, but it gets crazy when you sample (local) trees.
Around here, there’s many former gardens with apple trees growing wild long after the (wooden) house has all but vanished, which is where I get apples in autumn. Often each tree is of a different variety, and to call it all “apple” and be done with it would be - unrealistic.
Same with peaches I guess? They don’t grow here and there isn’t much variety in the shops, but I always prefer the “classic” round ones with yellow flesh. Best taste, and dripping juice is a must.
This is why it would be hard for me to make a fruit tier list. I think you need to have 2 lists, a list for each fruit at mid and a list for each fruit at its best. For example, I tend to eat apples, strawberries, or grapefruits pretty regularly even when they are not at their best because I still enjoy them at mid so in my mind they would be top of the mid list. But something like a peach or a pineapple will be at the top of the other list even though I probably won’t eat them at mid. I have a simple rule for peaches which is if I am in the store and I can smell them, I have to buy them. Works every time and I get damn good peaches that way. I’ve always wanted to try a fresh peach off a tree and I imagine it’s like fruit heroin.
We used to buy fresh peaches roadside when on vacation and driving through Georgia. They were delicious. I don’t know if roadside stands still have the same quality these days, but they’ve gotta be better than chain grocery stores.
When I was young, we had family friends with a small peach orchard. So each year would always get a couple of bushels of tree fresh peaches.
The OP is spot on. I’ve never had a peach come close to how amazing they were.
But to your point, there was still a variance among those peaches too. However that was 95% to do with how ripe they were.
It became a game in our family on timing the peaches peak ripeness. You had to balance on how close you wanted it to get against if someone else might eat it first.
Apples… there’s so much variety. Different types. Even in shops, but it gets crazy when you sample (local) trees.
Around here, there’s many former gardens with apple trees growing wild long after the (wooden) house has all but vanished, which is where I get apples in autumn. Often each tree is of a different variety, and to call it all “apple” and be done with it would be - unrealistic.
Same with peaches I guess? They don’t grow here and there isn’t much variety in the shops, but I always prefer the “classic” round ones with yellow flesh. Best taste, and dripping juice is a must.