Lovita Plums
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Lovita is a South African plum variety — one of several modern cultivars developed for the South African export market, bred for flavour, firmness, and the ability to travel well by sea freight without arriving in poor condition. The skin is a mottled red over green, deepening to a full dark red as the fruit ripens, and the flesh is deep red throughout — not just at the skin but all the way to the stone. This full-flesh colouration is unusual in plums and is a varietal characteristic rather than a ripeness indicator.
South African plums arrive in the UK between roughly January and April — the opposite of the European stone fruit season, which runs from June to September. This counter-seasonal supply exists because the Southern Hemisphere's growing calendar is offset by six months: what is winter here is summer there, and the harvest window lines up with the period when no European stone fruit is available. The alternative at this time of year is fruit from storage, or no plums at all.
The flavour balance in a Lovita leans toward sweetness with a firm acidity underneath that keeps it from being one-dimensional. The texture is firm even when ripe — this is a plum that holds its shape when sliced and does not collapse into a soft mess on the plate, which makes it useful for cooking as well as eating fresh. It works well halved and roasted, in a tart, or alongside cheese and charcuterie.
If they arrive firm, leave at room temperature for a day or two until they give slightly at the shoulder and the fragrance is noticeable. Like all stone fruit, plums are climacteric — they continue to ripen after harvest.
Origin: South Africa
Ingredients: Lovita plums (Prunus salicina).
Storage: Ripen at room temperature. Refrigerate once ripe and use within a few days.