I peel mine. But, if the peach is the correct ripeness, it'll just peel off. If you grab a corner and pull gently, that's how I peel it. I don't get peaches very often. They've been so mealy the last few years!

I have really missed peaches this year. Our tree at home only had 3 or 4...only 2 of them edible and in our travels thru September we have found terrible ones. I peel mine. They have a different (bitter almost) taste when you leave the peel on; but that may be only some varieties. My faves are any Elberta or Rio Oso (which is mostly home grown, in Ca).

I never peel fresh peaches before eating, but I sure do take my soft veggie brush to them ahead of time! Eek, the pesticide residue and dirt on that fuzz! If cooking with them, I'll peel them.

Peaches that I've had this year were wonderful, though I usually buy local, in season.

I don't eat peaches at all - I can't stand the fuzz!!! I love nectarines and I'd probably love peaches if I peeled them. But I don't even like to touch them. Gives me the willies!

I never heard of anyone eating a peach, skin and all. Ripe ones usually shed their skins easily. You can also blanch them in hot water to make the peeling easier.

Our harsh winter and wet spring ruined apple and peach crops in the upper Midwest and killed many trees. One grower said he was harvesting only 10% of his normal fruit.

I've had to pay almost $3/lb. for peaches.

Mine are home grown organically so I don't always peel them. The ones I have bought this past year were not good. Tasted bland and the texture was mealy. I did not buy very many.

Yep, eat them like an apple.

Of course, you clean them before eating :o)

I usually peel them and if you dip them in warm or hot water, it seems to take that fuzz feeling away....Also, the hot water will loosen the peeling and makes it easier to peel.....

I've never heard of peeling them. I rub peaches with my hands under running water and then after a quick paper towel drying I scarf 'em down !

Depends on the variety for me, there are some I wash and don't peel for fresh eating and others I do.

Someone used to bring us a box from E Washington each year that were the best darned peaches (one of those friend of a friend type things where they shared) for flavor, but so fuzzy you could almost shave them. I never did find out the name of the tree and we don't get them any more, were told the tree (or trees) was lost to flooding.

I've looked at every farmers market I've come across and have never seen exactly that same peach.

This is very interesting! I've never known anyone who peeled a peach before eating it fresh!

Suzieque, if get the willies from peaches, I'll bet you really can't tolerate the thought of touching a kiwi!

Speaking of kiwi......does everyone know the nifty trick in separating that furry hide from the juicy fruit?

There are a few neat ways to peel a kiwi, the one I use involves the same utensil I use to peel ginger. Or when eating soup.

When I think about it, why *wouldn't* you eat a peach 'in hand' just as you do an apple -- with the skin/peel. I've never seen peaches or apples in a prepared dish with their skins though.

Here's another possible confusion of terms. Shouldn't the apple or the peach have a 'skin' -- which would only become a 'peel' when it's off the fruit?

Kiwi? Run a spoon around, after slipping off the top, or blanch like you do peaches/tomatoes.

Here is a link that might be useful: how to peel a kiwi with a spoon

The spoon comes in handy for removing the skins from kiwi, avocados, and ginger. Useful little utensil, isn't it?

I have never peeled a peach ,I wash and eat. They really were not that tasty this year. My DD has a white peach tree, those were the best ever peaches~I ate 3-4 picked right off the tree every day I was there, yummy!

No peeling here. Why cut away the good part?

I;m with rob here...just pick the skin it up at a loose area and it comes right off...no peeling necessary

This post was edited by ruthieg__tx on Wed, Oct 1, 14 at 18:41

I eat it with the skin on, but have to cut it off the pit before I eat it. When I was a child I made the mistake of eating one down to the pit and finding fruit fly maggots. Never again. I cut all my fruit up except cherries only because they're so small.

Hi, Rhizo - nope, I love kiwi! Until you mentioned it, I never thought anything about the feel of a kiwi; it doesn't bother me at all. Just those peaches - ewww - it's making me shiver now! HA!

I haven't had a good peach in years so I haven't had one since about the last century but I'd eat it with the peel on.

I eat with skin on always have.

Ginger, I so agree on lack of great tasting peaches. My Mom used to can them,,, I remember em sitting in a circle outside, cleaning peaches to can. The looks so pretty in the jars & tasted sooo good!