Stone fruit

Prunus

Defined by sweet, sharp flesh around a central stone, and easily edible skin, stone fruit are likely to arrive firm. This allows them to travel without turning into jam on the way. They’ll ripen up slowly in the fridge, or faster at room temperature. Eaten straight from the stone, they’re a great leveller; there’s simply no graceful way to do it. Nibbled or gnawed, you’re still going to make a joyful mess. They work wonders in the kitchen, too.

In the kitchen

Easy ideas

1. Bake

Something sweet is most people’s port of call. The soft flesh of cherries, plums, or apricots is perfect for pastries, crumbles, tarts, and cakes, and their sharpness is always a great foil to any form of sweetness. They collapse as they cook, creating jammy blobs through the mix.

2. BBQ

If the weather permits, griddling stone fruit adds a caramelised, smoky depth and is a great way to cook slightly unripe fruit. The heat will nudge it over the line, softening and sweetening the flesh as it cooks. Halve, stone, and cook them, cut side down, for 3-4 mins, until they have deep char-lines on them and lift easily away from the griddle. Ideal with ice cream or yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

3. Savoury

Fruit can work beautifully in savoury dishes if well balanced. The contrast of sweet, sharp, and salty is the key. They can lift a summer salad alongside some feta or mozzarella, or serve as a side to BBQ meats, where their tartness can cut through fat. They can add some zing to a salsa too.

4. Blend

The yielding flesh is ideal for blends and smoothies. Most blenders will make short work of the skin too; just make sure you remove all the stones, to save you the heart-stopping rattle as the blade jams. We often mix them with some veg, as the earthiness grounds any excessive sweetness.