I am all about enjoying fresh stone fruit in the summer! These past few months have been quite exciting, in terms of new stone fruit items to try. As we continuously relocate, it seems that I find new things being sold in different grocery stores in each new area. This summer, I tried everything from yellow plumcots to the traditional peach that is sold (where all cultivars fall under the same category of “peach”). Anyways, I wanted to share my two favorite finds this summer. Please note, though, that I really am a fan of all stone fruit and the Dinosaur brand pluots have been on my favorites list ever since I can remember.
My two favorites that I was introduced to this summer were:
Verry Cherry Plum
I saw the Verry Cherry Plums at the store and bought them just out of curiosity. However, after thinking about it for a while and going back and looking at pictures, I realized that I had seen these before. When I went to visit the cherry grower/packer that is featured in the cherry behind the scenes post, they were very excited to show off a new product they were growing and it just so happens, that it was the Verry Cherry Plum!
Here are my takeaways regarding the Verry Cherry Plum:
- Size: Exactly what you would think! They are right in between the size of a cherry and a plum. But, the difference is that the seed is the shape of a plum seed and is not as easy to eat and discard, like with a regular cherry. For example, I would not put a Verry Cherry Plum in my mouth and hope to spit out the seed. It is too large of a fruit, and the seed is also too large, so it does not work. That is not to say that my daughter has not tried to stick the whole thing in her mouth and eat it multiple times! She did, however, figure out how to eat an entire one around the seed all on her own (see the image on the right below), so I would say it is the perfect size for her!
- Color: They have red skin color, but the red is not as strong as that of a regular cherry. It is hard to compare the color to plum skin color because there are so many different cultivars that we are exposed to that all look differently. The internal skin color is more of a yellow/brown color, which appears closer to the lighter-fleshed plums.
- Taste/Flavor: I would describe it as a milder flavor to both a cherry and a plum. They are not super sweet, but they have the same familiar texture.
- Type of Fruit: I reached out to the company, Flavor Tree Fruit Company, to see if these are climacteric (continue ripening after harvest) or non-climacteric (do not continue ripening after harvest), since plums are climacteric and cherries are non-climacteric. I can tell you from experience that they do continue softening if left on the counter, but could not say whether they get sweeter or not. The answer I received is that there are three different cultivars that are packed into the Verry Cherry Plum label and that they are all non-climacteric, meaning that even though they soften if left on the counter, they will not get any sweeter or, essentially, taste any better when eaten after being left out on the counter.
Conclusion:
I enjoy these, for both the flavor and for the practicality. I also had a lot of people message me about trying these when I posted about them on Instagram and everyone had rave reviews!
Plumsicles
These were not sold in stores near me this season, but I found out about them on (you guessed it) Instagram! I inquired about them from the grower (HMC Farms) and luckily enough, they sent me a box to try!
- Size: They are the same size as any other regular plum/pluot/plumcot mix.
- Color: They have a dark purple skin and the flesh is stunning! It is a dark red/maroon color. Just look at that color in the pictures above!
- Taste/Flavor: They are sweet, not too tart and really good! I think these are along a similar thread as the Dinosaur brand pluots (which I love), but have their own unique look to them. These also might have been my daughter’s favorite fruit this summer! She ate the ones that were still hard and just kept taking bites out of everything she could! (You can see the video of her initial reaction HERE!) We received the fruit a little bit hard still (plums are climacteric and do continue ripening when left on the counter – so they get softer and sweeter), and it was no issue for her! HMC Farms also informed me that they have solid flavor both when hard and soft, so there is no need to wait to indulge!
Conclusion:
These are really good and they are really pretty! I have always preferred the red fleshed plums and plum mixes, and this solidifies my reasoning for that! My only complaint is that I wish they were selling them at a local retailer near me! However, if you are in the same boat, you can do your part by requesting that your local grocer carries the products that you like.
Have you tried either of these two new stone fruit cultivars yet? If so, let me know what you think in the comments below!
EXCELLENT 😊 EXCELLENT descriptions!!
Having proudly worked in the retail & wholesale fresh produce distribution business for many years I wholeheartedly confidently attest – with great exuberance – to Megan’s mouth watering description of these incredibly delectable California summer fruits!!
Well Done, Megan!!!
Where can I purchase these fruits in Riverside county? My mouth was watering till the end, let us know, thanks
You’re funny! I bought the Verry Cherry Plums at Walmart in Riverside. The Plumsicles were not available in this area, but if you reach out to HMC Farms directly, they might be where you are (assuming you are in a different part of Riverside County?) or you could order some directly from them.