PEACHES* (F11)

Picked at the peak of ripeness then carefully pitted and dried, our Peaches are moist, chewy and naturally sweet, with no additional sugar. Measuring approximately 2 to 2-1/2 inches in diameter, these sweet dried fruits are a deliciously simple snack. Peaches are the fruit of the deciduous peach tree (Prunus persica), which is believed to be native to northern China. Peaches, which are stone fruits, have soft inner flesh with a velvety, slightly fuzzy outer skin. Evidence suggests that peaches were cultivated in China as far back as 2000 B.C. Beginning in East Asia and spreading westward throughout ancient times, peaches finally reached the Americas in the 16th century, when Spanish explorers transported them overseas. In the years to follow, various Native American tribes planted peach seeds across what is now the United States, but commercial production of peaches didn't begin until the 19th century.