Stone Fruit Desserts Provide Sweetness All Summer Long

Make Room, watermelon – cherry pie deserves a spot on the table.

When berry season has hit its stride and apple season is still weeks away, plump ripe and juicy stone fruits such as cherries and peaches generously drop off the trees to fill the void. What exactly is a stone fruit? Also called a "drupe," a stone fruit is any thin-skinned fruit with a soft, succulent flesh and a pit, or stone, in its center. The seed is actually inside the stone. When you think of stone fruits in the South, the peach is the first one that springs to mind, but Southerners also love a good cherries and plums. A round-up of summer desserts will always include icebox pies, banana puddings, and pound cakes, but a picnic isn't complete without a cherry pie or peach cobbler.

Cherries

The cherry is the first stone fruit to show up at the farmers' market in the spring. Their tastes range anywhere from sour and tart to sweet and tender. Sweet cherries are perfect for snacking and, since they contain a high amount of melatonin, make a great late-night snack. Sour cherries are best for pies and other desserts—try to get them at their peak in July and August. Want to make a fresh cherry pie? Watch this video on how to quickly pit a fresh cherry. Other favorite recipes with cherries that we love include: Cherry Lime Hand Pies, Cherries-And-Cream Ice Cream Cake and the traditional Cherry Flag Pie, to name a few. Also, freezing your cherries is a wonderful way to enjoy stone fruit well after the season the season ends.

Peaches

The most popular and well-known stone fruit in the South is, of course, the peach. Similar to the subjects of college football and BBQ, people are passionate when it comes to which state produces the best peaches. Arguments are waged and friendships tested but everyone can agree that the peach is the quintessential summer fruit. Like some other stone fruits, peaches can come in either clingstone or freestone and white or yellow varieties. There are even flat, round varieties that resemble donuts. They'll show up at your farmers market midsummer and continue until the beginning of fall, but if you're in a hurry to eat one right after a trip to the market, you might need our tips to help ripen them. There is nothing like eating a freshly peeled peach as a snack, but save a few for sweet and juicy peach desserts, such as cobblers, upside-down Bundt cakes, and icebox pie. When the grill is fired up during the summer months, we even like to caramelize these Southern delicacies over the flames.

Nectarines

At first glance you may have confused a nectarine for a peach, and it is no wonder. Nectarines are very similar to peaches, just without the fuzzy skin. They are also firmer, resembling the texture of an apple. Like peaches, this stone fruit can be freestone, clingstone, or semi-freestone. You can use them interchangeably with peaches—for grilling, salad toppings, or simply eating out of hand. You can also use these recipes in desserts like Nectarine Cobbler or combine them with other stone fruits in this turnover recipe that celebrates the harvest.

Plums

Always juicy, plums range from sweet to tart and come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow and black. Like other stone fruits, plums have an easy-to-peel thin, smooth skin and super juicy flesh, so a napkin is always a good idea if you're eating them raw. Bake them into crowd-pleasing desserts such as this jammy Plum Torte, or use them to make a simple syrup that will be the star of this sparkling mocktail. The best thing about plums (besides their taste)? They have a longer growing season (spring through early fall) than most stone fruits, which means you have a lot of time to enjoy them.

If fresh stone fruit is available, consider purchasing extra and freezing for a later time. Frozen fresh fruit comes in handy during the winter months when you need a taste of summer.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.