when is a nectarine ripe
Smell peaches and nectarines before you buy them. If they don't smell sweet and aromatic, they probably won't taste sweet and aromatic. The red blush of a peach or nectarine doesn't tell you if the fruit is ripe. Look at the background color. It should be uniform, either golden or pale cream, with absolutely no green blush or tinge. Yellow-fleshed peaches and nectarines should be soft but not mushy in any way.