Honey Fire Nectarines from Trader Joe’s

I got to say that I really don’t buy a lot of produce at Trader Joe’s. They honestly don’t have a lot that excites me and since they don’t run traditional sales items like berries and grapes are never as good as competitors. I shop there more for things like cheese, cooking oil, cereal for the kids, etc. What I do like in their produce section is when they get in the boxes of nectarines or peaches. They come in a colorful “crate” with the Trader Joe’s logo. The box is similar in size to one you might get some Clementines or other mandarin in. I appreciate them because they list the variety of fruit you are getting, and I am all about varieties! The price is also reasonable. The box goes for $5.99 for 4 pounds of fruit. That equals out to be $1.50/lb. When it comes to stone fruit whenever you can get something for under $2 a pound, your getting your money’s worth.

The variety featured in the latest box I purchased is the Honey Fire Nectarines. These are beautifully, mostly red nectarines out of California. They are a cling stone variety, so your not going to be able to get all the flesh off the pit. Typical harvest time is from early to mid June. They were developed by Zaiger Genetics.

My Experience with this Nectarine in 2014 (Rating Scale 1-10)

Overall Feelings
A lot of the early yellow nectarines I have had are quite acidic. The Honey Fire is not. It’s sweet with low acid. The flavor and texture are both outstanding. Take a bite of one just when they are soft to the touch and your mouth will be rewarded. They arrived in the store close to being ripe. There was no traces of green. I purchased them on Thursday, June 12th and ate the first one on Saturday, June 14th. Less than 48 hours after purchase I think is a good amount of time. Rarely can you buy them in the store ready to eat that day.

If you have had the chance to pick these up to, let us know what you think!