Summer Stone Fruit
Summer is upon us! Aside from the hot weather, this also means it is stone fruit season. Fresh, cooked, pickled, juiced or dried, all these fruits are the perfect treat for the season. Named for the large pit inside, which contains the seed, these fruits generally are in season from late May to early September and are at their peak during the summer months. With such a short growing season they are a great option for canning, preserving, and freezing to enjoy year-round. While picking a perfectly ripe stone fruit can sometimes be difficult, there are a few tips and tricks to aid a discerning shopper: Try gently pressing against the stem of the fruit, a slight give should indicate a ready to eat stone fruit.The skin on the fruit should be smooth and plump, the fruit itself should also feel a little hefty for its size. Once you have picked out the perfect fruits, the best way to store them is on the kitchen counter in a paper bag. Whether it be cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines or any of the in-betweens now is the time to stock up.