With SUMMER in mind

The summer fruits now abundant in supermarket produce sections are creating a shopping bonanza for Southern Californians. Fruit industry representatives confirm that there will continue to be ample supplies and favorable prices.

This won’t be a record crop year for plums, peaches, nectarines and Bartlett pears, but each is estimated to produce an ample harvest according to Robyn Wilk, director of advertising for the California Tree Fruit Agreement, an organization that represents California growers of these fruits.

Plums will be at their peak this month, with many different varieties available. “You’ll be seeing lots of different colors and shapes,” Wilk said.

It’s midseason for peaches. Sizes are getting larger, and some really good varieties, such as Red Top, Elegant Lady and Flavorcrest, will be coming to market during July. Wilk explained that supplies of most varieties typically last about two weeks.

The same is true for nectarines. The Red Diamond, Summer Grand and Flavortop freestone varieties will last through July and the beginning of August then be replaced by clingstones.

Bartlett pear shipments from the Sacramento River Valley will begin reaching our stores about the third week of July. Growers are very optimistic about both supplies and quality at this point, Wilk said.

As for cost, plums are at the lowest prices California consumers have seen in two to three years, according to Jan DeLyser, executive vice president of the Fresh Produce Council, a locally based trade group. Prices for peaches and nectarines also are at historic lows.

DeLyser further reports that raspberries and blackberries are currently at peak availability and quality. Blueberry supplies will be increasing through July, and cherries are still coming in from the Northwest.

Strawberries are an exception in the berry category. They’re “currently of variable quality and are no longer as reasonably priced as they were earlier in the season,” DeLyser said.

This year’s California table grape crop is estimated to be 10% lower than last year, according to Bruce Obbink, president of the California Table Grape Commission. However, 1988 was the state’s largest crop. “Twenty years ago this was practically a cottage industry, producing 16 (million) to 20 million boxes of table grapes a year; today 56 million boxes is considered an average crop.”

Grape harvesting is already completed in the Coachella Valley and just getting started in the Bakersfield area. Currently they are picking Perlettes and Red Flames; the Thompson variety will be ready next week. “We’ll move further into the valley in July, with August and September as our peak months,” Obbink explained. He expects overall quality and prices to remain good.

All this adds up to abundant supplies and good prices on summer fruits in the weeks ahead. (For tips on selection and storage, please see story on Page 9.)

And if that isn’t enough enticement, there’s the additional boon that most of these foods may be enjoyed without undue concern about calories, salt, fat and cholesterol. Such qualities make fruits ideal for combining with other light ingredients in a wide variety of recipes--including the desserts we feature today.

Although these are not diet desserts, they may be prepared using lighter ingredients. Margarine is offered as a substitute for butter; egg substitute for eggs; low-fat yogurt and milk for cream, and sugar may be adjusted to personal taste.

POACHED PEACHES WITH RASPBERRY YOGURT

SAUCE

2 large peaches

1 1/2 cups apricot nectar

1 tablespoon cherry brandy or Kirsch

1 pint raspberries

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

Immerse peach in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, peel, halve and pit. Bring peach nectar to boil in medium saucepan and cook 2 minutes. Stir in Kirsch, then add peach halves, reduce heat and poach peaches about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow peaches to cool in nectar mixture.

Puree raspberries in blender or food processor. Press through sieve to remove seeds. Stir sugar into yogurt. Place yogurt in pastry bag fitted with fine tip.

Pour about 1/4 cup raspberry puree on each of 4 dessert plates. Pipe yogurt in spiral design on sauce. Draw point of knife from center of plate, spoke-fashion, to create web design. Place chilled peach half, cut side down, on sauce. Makes 4 servings.

STRAWBERRY-NECTARINE PANCAKE PUFF

2 tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup egg substitute or 3 eggs

3/4 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup flour

2 cups sliced strawberries

2 cups sliced nectarines

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoons honey

Place margarine in 10 to 12-inch cast-iron skillet or skillet with oven-proof handle. Melt in 450 degree oven.

Combine egg substitute and milk or beat eggs with wire whisk until light and lemon colored. Beat in milk. Gradually stir in flour and beat until smooth.

Remove skillet from oven. Pour batter into skillet. Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking 15 minutes longer or until pancake is puffed and browned.

Meanwhile, toss together strawberries and nectarines. Mix yogurt and sugar in separate bowl. Serve hot pancake puff topped with fruit and drizzled with yogurt mixture. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

MIXED FRUIT IN LACE

COOKIE SHELLS WITH

CUSTARD SAUCE

6 tablespoons margarine

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 1/2 cups mixed fruit

Custard Sauce

Combine margarine, brown sugar and corn syrup in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter melts and mixture boils, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Add flour and oats all at once and stir until thoroughly blended. Stir in vanilla.

Place 1 tablespoon dough in center of baking sheet lined with parchment or non-stick baking material. Spread into circle. Bake at 350 degrees 5 to 6 minutes, until golden. Cookies will spread to about 6 1/2 inches in diameter.

Cool cookies about 2 minutes, just long enough to lift with metal spatula and transfer to 4 1/2-inch diameter brioche pan. Gently mold cookie into pan. Cool. Repeat procedure to form remaining cookie shells.

Fill each cup with about 3/4 cup mixed fruit. Spoon about 3 tablespoons Custard Sauce onto dessert plate. Place fruit cup on top. Makes about 10 servings.

Custard Sauce

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups nonfat milk

Dash salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat eggs and sugar in top of double boiler until light. Stir in milk and salt. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until custard coats spoon. Remove from water and stir in vanilla. Chill. Makes about 2 cups sauce.

PLUM CREME

4 plums, sliced

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup honey

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons water

Plum slices

Mint sprigs

Combine plums, yogurt and vanilla in blender container. Process until smooth. Add honey.

Combine gelatin and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until dissolved. Add to mixture in blender and process 10 seconds.

Spoon into stemmed glasses and chill until set. Garnish with plum slices and mint. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

GRAPE-WHITE WINE

DESSERT

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups halved seedless green grapes

Light sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt

Blend sugar, salt and gelatin in mixing bowl. Stir in lemon juice and set aside 5 minutes to soften.

Add boiling water. Stir mixture until gelatin and sugar dissolve. Add wine. Chill until mixture begins to thicken, then add grapes, mixing well.

Spoon mixture into wine glasses. Chill until firm. Serve with dollop of sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

PEACH CRISP

6 large peaches

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste

1 tablespoon instant tapioca

1 cup oats

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Peel and slice peaches. Place in 11x7-inch baking dish. Combine granulated sugar and tapioca, sprinkle over fruit and toss to coat well.

Combine oats, flour and brown sugar in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in walnuts, then sprinkle mixture evenly over fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until juices bubble slightly and top is crisp and lightly browned. Serve warm. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

SWEET CHERRY SAUCE

1 1/2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted

1/2 cup white grape juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds

Combine cherries, grape juice, lemon juice and zest and sugar in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 35 to 40 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in almonds. Cool. Makes 2 1/3 cups.

Note: Serve over angel food cake or reduced calorie ice cream.