All About Stone Fruits

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Besides having sweet, juicy flavour, drupes are a terrific source of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. They make an easy and nutritious snack, as well as great additions to salads, desserts or to pair with meat, fish and fowl.

Apricot

The apricot is a delicate and very sweet-smelling fruit with a clear yellow to orange stone. The skin of the apricot is slightly fuzzy at first then becomes smooth at maturity. The apricot is very rich in Vitamin A and high in fibre. Rich in carotene and potassium, it is also a good source of iron and zinc.

Look for even-tinted apricots with flesh that is neither too firm nor too soft and free of spots or bruises. Apricots do not tolerate cold and should be kept at room temperature until ripe. They can be eaten plain, poached, fried or used to make jams, compotes, marmalades or fruit salads. They can also be distilled to make apricot liqueur. Apricots are most plentiful from May through to August at your Metro supermarket. Smaller quantities are still available from September through to January.

Cherry

Cherries are suspended on long, thin stems that grow in clusters on the bark of the branches. The fruit of the cherry is fleshy and sweet and a good source of potassium. Cherries are divided into three groups: sweet cherries, sour cherries and wild cherries.

Of the over 500 varieties of sweet cherries, the most popular are the Bing cherry and the Bigarreau. Fleshy and juicy, the Bing cherry has a thin, dark red skin, while the Bigarreau cherry is heart-shaped, red or yellow, with firm and crunchy flesh. There are about 250 varieties of sour cherries, the best known being the Montmorency cherry which is slightly acidic and soft, and the Morello cherry which is smaller. They are often cooked to make marmalades, pies, liqueurs and fruit brandys, such as kirsch. Wild cherries are black, small and a little less fleshy than the others.

Choose very fleshy, firm and shiny cherries. Ripe cherries will keep for several days stored in a perforated plastic bag in the fruit drawer in the refrigerator. There are cherry pitting tools available or the pits can be removed simply by making an incision with the tip of a knife to release the stone or by cutting the cherry in two. Cherries are delicious as is or cooked for jams, preserves, macerated in alcohol or distilled to make cherry liqueur. They can also be added to fruit salads, yogurts, pies, sherbets, ice cream, as well as cake —what would the black forest cake be without cherries! Bing cherries, in particular, are perfect for snacking fresh or slightly frozen. Cherries are most plentiful in June and July at your Metro supermarket; smaller quantities are also available in May, November and December.

Did you know?
The ground cherry, despite its name, is not actually a cherry at all, but belong to the nightshade family of flowering plants. These sweet and juicy orange berries have unique flavour with a lingering hint of tartness. They are covered with a parchment-like inedible husk and are very decorative, so ideal for garnishes, especially desserts. They are also often used in jams, marmalades, cooked in pies or made into sauces to accompany meat. Find them in the produce department of your Metro supermarket.

Dates

The date tree is originally from the Middle East and belongs to the family of palm trees. There are over 100 varieties of this dry elongated fruit. It has crumpled flesh, which encloses a single oval stone. Dates are an energy booster that’s high in natural sugars, rich in fibre and in potassium. The most popular variety worldwide is the Deglet Nour or Noor, also called ‘finger of light’. There are three types of dates: soft, semi-firm and firm.

Choose fresh, plump, tender and colourful dates. Wrap well to refrigerate, as dates absorb odours easily. Dried dates will keep for up to six months stored in a cool, dry environment, away from sunlight and heat. To re-hydrate dates, soak in water for a few hours. Eat dates plain or use them to make baked goods, to add in salads, couscous or poultry stuffing. Fresh and dried dates are available year-round in Metro supermarkets.

Nectarine

The nectarine originates from China and resembles the peach. It is characterized by its rich colour and smooth skin. Its fragrant flesh is yellow and slightly red near the stone and tastes like nectar. In addition to being an excellent source of Vitamin A, the nectarine is also a good source of Vitamin C, potassium and fibre. Choose sweet smelling nectarines that are unblemished and not too hard. The skin should be deep red to yellowish. Avoid any greenish fruits because they were picked too early and will not age properly. Let nectarines ripen at room temperature then refrigerate and use within two or three days.

There are many varieties of nectarines, the most popular being the Spring Red, Red Diamond, Summer Grand and the white flesh nectarine. Except for the Spring Red nectarine, all other varieties can be used for pies or oven-baking. The Red Diamond and the Summer Grand poach easily, while the Summer Grand and the white flesh nectarine are ideal for compotes and jams. The white flesh nectarine is the only variety that can be fried. The nectarine pairs well with seafood, poultry or pork, and are delicious in salads. Nectarines are available in February and from May to September in your Metro supermarket; smaller quantities are also available in January, March and December.

Peach

The peach is native to China and very similar to the nectarine with the main difference being that the peach has a fuzzy skin, while the nectarine does not. Peaches have juicy, sweet, fragrant flesh. Its soft fuzzy skin varies in thickness according to the variety. Peaches are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals. They also contain a high level of natural sugars that are good for the body.

Choose fragrant, firm fruits. The skin should be soft and free of spots and bruises. The colour of the peach doesn’t necessarily reflect how ripe it is. Peaches will keep for several days in the fridge. To hasten ripening, store them at room temperature, preferably in a paper bag. Storing them in a plastic bag is not recommended as it could cause them to spoil prematurely.

Peaches go well with vanilla, mint, rum, cloves, apricots, almonds, nuts, lavender and citrus. They can easily replace apples in strudels crumbles and pies, except for the white variety which aren’t recommended to bake. Delicious raw, sautéed, fried, grilled or poached, peaches pair beautifully with pork and poultry. To prevent sliced peaches from turning brown, place them in a cup of water with 15 ml (1 Tbsp.) of lemon juice or toss them directly with fresh lemon juice. Peaches are available from July to September in your Metro supermarket.

Plum

The flesh of the plum is sweet, juicy and firm. Its skin can vastly range in colour from yellow to red to green. The plum is high in fibre, rich in magnesium and phosphorus, and a good source of Vitamin C, iron and potassium.

The more popular varieties of plum are Early Gold, Laroda, Simka Rosa, Friar, Catalina and the Yellow Egg Plum. Early Gold has orange flesh and when ripe, apricot yellow or light pink to red skin. It’s flavour has a honey-like sweetness and has a meaty texture. Laroda has dark red to purple skin with light yellow flecks and golden yellow flesh. Its texture is softer and has a mild, sweet aromatic flavour. Simka Rosa is a firmer plum with mild, sweet flavour. Its skin is red to purple with small yellow flacks and yellow flesh. Friar is also a firmer plum with sweet flavour. Its skin is ebony to black when ripe and its flesh is amber. The Catalina is slightly less juicy and less sweet than the other varieties. It has a firm texture with amber flesh and black skin. Lastly, the Yellow Egg Plum is smaller with yellow, sometimes orange-red skin with flesh that’s firm and tastes like honey.

Choose evenly coloured, sweet-smelling fruits that yield slightly to gentle pressure. Avoid hard, shrivelled or cracked plums. Ripen at room temperature then refrigerate and use within five days. All varieties can be used to make pies, salads, compotes and marmalades. Although plums are easy to sauté or poach, oven-baking is not recommended. The plum pairs well with pork, game and poultry. They are available year-round in the produce section of your Metro supermarket.

Did you know?
Miniature green plums are cherry-sized plums that are native to western Asia. When the fruit reaches the size of a quarter, growers know it is time to harvest. These unique plums are enjoyed fresh out-of-hand or with a dash of salt. Miniature green plums are available in Metro supermarkets.