Stone Fruits: Snacks from nature

Intelligencer Journal

Published: Jul 23, 2008
00:04 EST

By CLAUDIA W. ESBENSHADE, Staff

Unlike other fruits, stone fruits do not sweeten after they are picked, said Phyllis Shenk, manager of Cherry Hill Orchards in New Danville. The business offers the pick-your-own experience for cherries through the last week in June and peaches in August.

"Although they will ripen more, the sweetness is obtained from the tree in which the fruit is grown," Shenk said.

With crops that fill the 120 acres, the orchard fills the need for those who enjoy cherries, peaches and nectarines.

The pit of a stone fruit is its support system. It provides the nutrients from the tree through the stem as the fruit grows. A breakdown of a stone fruit provides somewhat of an anatomy lesson as the fruit has a cheek, a shoulder, a suture, the blush and flesh, according to www.eatcaliforniafruit.com, the California Tree Fruit Agreement Web site supported by the growers of 600 varieties of peaches, plums and nectarines.

The shoulder of a fruit is the bulge around the top of the fruit, which becomes full and rounded as the fruit matures. The suture is the line running from the stem to the end of the fruit. The cheek is the side of the fruit on either side of the suture and is rounded out by the blush, which is the color of the fruit. The flesh is the part of the fruit that can be eaten.

Storing stone fruits should be done carefully as they have the tendency to soften quickly, Shenk said.

"Store a firm stone fruit in a brown paper bag," Shenk said. The paper bag allows the fruit to continue to breathe and it will ripen and become more palatable faster than if just sitting out, said Norman Kauffman, produce manager of Kauffman's Fruit Farm in Bird-in-Hand.

Stone fruits also store best at room temperature, Kauffman said.

Kauffman's has an early peach, the Earliglo — available now. Its last peach, the Encore, closes out the season in September.

According to the cooking Web site www.epicurious.com, halving peaches, plums and nectarines is made easier by making a deep horizontal cut around the circumference of the fruit. Twist the fruit gently and remove the stone.

To peel a stone fruit, cut an X in one end of the fruit, drop it in boiling water and immediately into an ice bath. Peel the skin off.

The sweetest of this family, the apricot, is most prone to bruising. It is best to pick apricots when they are a little underripe as they will soften at room temperature in a few days.

Although sweet and typically thought of as a snack or a dessert, stone fruits can make a great companion to a meat or fish dish, Shenk said.

Skinned and chopped, stone fruits make a good chutney.

 

Stone fruit recipes

Stone Fruit Pouches

Stone Fruit Antipasta Salad

Deviled Chicken and Grilled Stone Fruit

 

E-mail: cesbenshade@lnpnews.com