A nectarine is a type of fruit that looks almost exactly like a peach but with smooth, glossy skin instead of fuzzy skin. The flesh inside is sweet and juicy, ranging from yellow to white, with a large pit in the center that you can't eat.

Nectarines grow on trees in warm climates and ripen in summer. They're not a cross between a peach and a plum, as some people think. Instead, nectarines are simply peaches with a genetic mutation that makes their skin smooth. In fact, sometimes a peach tree will spontaneously grow nectarines, and a nectarine tree might produce a few fuzzy peaches.

When you bite into a ripe nectarine, juice runs down your chin, and the flavor balances sweetness with just a hint of tartness. You can eat nectarines fresh, slice them onto cereal or yogurt, bake them into pies, or grill them for a warm dessert. Like peaches, nectarines are packed with vitamins and make a healthy snack. Picking a good one takes practice: look for fruit that gives slightly when you press it gently and smells sweet near the stem.