; Supermarket Serenade: Plu-what??

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Plu-what??

Hybrid fruits intrigue me. I remember touring the hydroponic gardens at Epcot a few years ago and the guide spoke of hybrid fruits and thinking that was so "futuristic". Well here we are 2008 and right in my local supermarket are pluots.


Having never heard of a pluot, I immediately assumed that the signmaker in the supermarket made some sort of spelling error-these were just ugly colored or unripened plums. But on closer examination (and just before I was about to open my know it all mouth to the produce manager) I realized it was my error-I had stumbled upon a fruit of the future: pluots. (From what I have been able to read about pluots, they've been around since about 1990, but this is the first time I've seen them, so quite possibly they are just the fruit of my future.)

A pluot is a cross hybrid of a plum and an apricot created by biologist Floyd Zaiger. They are grown in California and can be found in your supermarket during the summer and early fall months.

While they don't look particularly appealing from the outside, when sliced open they reveal a delicately pretty reddish center. They are deliciously sweet and definitely deserve a place in your grocery cart-if for no other reason than to be able to say "I've tasted a pluot".

This recipe using pluots was inspired by the basil gelato I tasted the other day at Whole Foods (it was surprisingly refreshing). I have used purchased cookie shells but you may substitute homemade shells if you want to go the extra mile. If you are unable to find pluots, plums and/or apricots would make an acceptable substitute.


Elegant Pluot Basil Cookie Cups

8 ounces whipped cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish
24 mini cookie shells
2-3 pluots

In a medium bowl stir together the cream cheese and the sugar. Stir in the basil.
Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the cookie shells spooning into the center of each.

Very thinly slice the pluots into wedges for a total of 48 slices. Fan the slices over the cream cheese in each cookie shell. Garnish each with a tiny bit of basil. Serve or cover loosely and chill until serving.

Yield: 24 cookie cups

9 comments:

La Bella Cooks said...

I have never tried a Pluot, but the color alone makes it look delicious...it is so vibrant! I love the idea of the little cookie cups. You have gorgeous pictures.

Veronica said...

Thanks, Bridgett...they really are very tasty and their color is quite striking.

Mommy Meryl said...

Pluot - sounds very funky!! I need to find one to try it!! The inside looks very yummy! But I have to tell you, the Basil gelato sound a bit frightening. . .

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Wow, how pretty! Don't think I have gad pluots so I will hav eto get some.

Emily said...

Oooh! I like. They're so pretty!

Veronica said...

Mommy Meryl, I know the basil gelato sounds wierd and honestly I never would have tried it were it not for the free samples, but it was really tasty.

Thanks, Lisa-they are super sweet-my kids love them now.

Emiline, they are so pretty on the inside-not so pretty on the outside. The variety that I bought looks like their name: dinosaur eggs.

Sydney said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog yesterday! Your blog is amazing! I'm adding you to my reading list for sure! Awesome pix and recipes!

Jenny said...

Oh my goodness Veronica, what beautul little cups. The color is gorgeous, I'd be so happy indulging on those! Pretty Pretty!

Esi said...

Yum!! Those look so cute and good!