A Summer Treasure That’s True to Its Name

by Torrey Douglass

Sometimes the bird with the most inconspicuous coloring has the prettiest song. Along these lines, you probably wouldn’t look twice if you walked past a tree full of Flavor Supreme pluots. The drab fruits are wrapped in a murky grey-green skin with dull red speckling—not exactly prime candidates for a fruit bowl in an aspirational Instagram kitchen.

But like a lot of life’s treasures, the gold is hiding beneath the surface. The deep red flesh inside delivers a luscious, concentrated sweetness with just enough tart to balance it out. Pluots are a cross between a plum and an apricot, though the flavor leans heavily on the plum side, with aspects of berry and grape. The apricot contributes floral, honey-like notes and even a hint of almond in the finish. One online tree supplier describes Flavor Supreme as its absolute favorite among all plums and pluots, while another plainly says, “Taste test winner.”

Pluot trees grow well in Mendocino County. They are hardy, prolific, and adaptable to different soils and climates. They have pretty pink or white flowers in the spring, and they should be planted near another pluot or plum variety with the same bloom period for pollination. With a height of up to 16 feet and a wide spreading canopy, one tree can provide a generous patch of shade on a warm sunny day. Spread your blanket, pick your pluot, and take a juicy bite to experience why this fruit is so aptly named.

Pluot Fruit Tart

INGREDIENTS

1 ⁄ 2 cup ice-cold water
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 ⁄ 2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
12 Tbsp (11 ⁄ 2 sticks) cold butter, cut into
small (1 / 4”) cubes
4 or 5 ripe pluots, washed and sliced thinly
2 Tbsp melted butter
3-4 Tbsp sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Work the butter into the flour with fingertips, a pair of knives, or a pastry cutter, for 1 to 2 minutes. Chunks can be irregular, about pea size. Add three quarters of the water and then mix until clumps form. Do not overwork. Add water until the dough comes together, but is not very sticky. Divide the ball of dough into 2, then wrap each in plastic before flattening them into disks. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove one of the dough disks and roll it flat on a lightly floured surface to about 14 inches. It’s okay if it is not a perfect circle. Gently move the rolled-out dough onto a large cookie sheet that is greased or has parchment paper on it.

Starting from the center, place the pluot slices in concentric circles, overlapping them slightly, until they are 11 ⁄ 2 - 2 inches from the edge of the dough. Brush butter over the fruit and dough edge, and sprinkle with sugar. Hold back a bit of that butter and sugar. Fold the dough edges over onto the fruit, then brush it with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. Rotate every 15 minutes. It’s ready when it has a toasted brown crust and the fruit begins to caramelize. Slice and serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, then taste how good summer can be!

photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh courtesy of Pexels.com.