Seasonal Spotlight: Nectaplums
What do you get when you cross a nectarine and a plum? A nectaplum! This particular variety, called a Spice Zee, has smooth, dusky red skin and white flesh. Intensely sweet with a trace of acidity and rich plum flavor, it’s really a perfect hybrid of the two fruits.
The nectaplum was invented by Zaiger, the same company that gave us the pluot and aprium. (These fruits have been developed through cross-breeding, not genetic engineering; to learn more about the fascinating world of stone fruit breeding, check out The Perfect Fruit by Chip Brantley.) Although they aren’t widespread yet, you may be able to find nectaplums at farmers’ markets and specialty stores, and growing in home gardens. Erik and Kelly of Homegrown Evolution recently harvested their first nectaplum and said “it was just about the tastiest fruit we’ve ever eaten.”
Have you tried nectaplums? What did you think?
Related: The Perfect Fruit by Chip Brantley
(Image: Emily Ho)