The new stoned fruit is a cross between a plum and an apricot

<p>There&rsquo;s a new fruit on the food block and it&rsquo;s called a <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-growers-selection-ready-to-eat-plums/910003082183" target="_blank">Metis®</a>.</p><p>The stone fruit is a cross between a <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-farm-stores-plums/910003095318" target="_blank">plum</a> and an <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/product/dried-fruit/asda-good-balanced-dried-apricots/910001604338" target="_blank">apricot</a> &ndash; a pluot if you will. It&rsquo;s got the sweetness of a perfect <a href="https://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-growers-selection-ready-to-eat-plums/910003082183" target="_blank">plum</a>, the juiciness of a ripe apricot and a bit of a crunch.</p><p>"It&rsquo;s a mix of different sensations," said Carlos Garcia, manager of the orchard <em>Villanueva</em>, where the fruit is grown in southern Spain. "It&rsquo;s such a diverse fruit. There are a lot of different colours and textures and tastes."</p><p>Just like apples, Metis® come in different varieties, which have slightly different looks and flavour profiles. There's the <em>Oxy, </em>which is a<em> </em>crunchy dark-skinned fruit with a deep and juicy red flesh. Its sister, <em>Tonic</em>, has a lighter, shinier skin and when you take a bite you'll reveal a light yellow flesh which has a honey-like sweetness to it. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="metis-variety" class="ci-image ci-original" src="https://ui3.assets-asda.com/dm/metis-variety_GL?scl=1" style="height: 591px; width: 800px;"></p><p>The <em>Aroma</em> variety has a pretty pattern on its skin and when you cut into it you'll be amazed by its ombre colouring with the red flesh slowly turning into yellow.</p><p>But you could say the most interesting Metis® of them all is the <em>Safari, </em>which also happens to be<em> </em>Carlos' favourite. He said: "It's the taste - it's really, really good - the firmness, because it's very crunchy - and also because of the colourful red and yellow surprise you get when you bite into it." </p><p>Convinced? Us too. Here are seven more reasons why it&rsquo;s fast becoming our new favourite fruit. </p><h2>1. they taste sweet like candy</h2><p>Thought delicious sweet-tasting things were only made in factories? You thought wrong. Asda's stone fruit expert Alberto Goldbacher, <a href="https://corporate.asda.com/blog/2017/08/15/our-limited-edition-fruit-flavours-are-a-great-way-to-get-kids-to-try-healthier-snacks" target="_blank">described metis®</a> as, "so unique - they have these candy-like sweet characteristics that stop you in your tracks.</p><p>"Words like candy and bubblegum are a really good way of describing the flavour," added Alberto - and we think that's something definitely worth tasting.</p><h2>2. Children love them</h2><p>Metis® are also proving very popular with kids. Alberto continued, "I took a punnet of the bubblegum plums home and when you see the whole lot being devoured in seconds by the kids you know you&rsquo;re onto something. But it's not just children who love them &ndash; we're finding these new flavour profiles are appealing to all ages."</p><p><center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZdy2T5h5iH/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Metis (@metisfruituk)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-09-25T13:23:24+00:00">Sep 25, 2017 at 6:23am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></center></p><h2>3. It's taken years to perfect the ratio </h2><p>Three generations of farmers have made it their life's work to figure out the perfect ratio of apricot to plum. For all those that wondering, it's 60% plum, 40% apricot!</p><h2>4. They are naturally made</h2><p>There's nothing genetically modified here, it's all natural. Bees play the leading role in developing the fruit. Natural cross-pollination between apricot and plum blossoms is the first step then the resulting hybrid fruit is cross pollinated again with plum trees to get Metis®. </p><p>All the cross pollination is done by hand with a brush, or naturally by bees. </p><p><center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZTWScQhTnX/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Metis (@metisfruituk)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-09-21T12:01:26+00:00">Sep 21, 2017 at 5:01am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></center></p><h2>5. They&rsquo;re in season now</h2><p>The <a href="http://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-growers-selection-ready-to-eat-plums/910003082183" target="_blank">tasty treats</a> are in season for six months of the year, which means from June until the end of November you'll be able to taste, enjoy and explore the different varieties. </p><h2>6. You can cook with them</h2><p>Just like plums, you can <a href="http://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-growers-selection-ready-to-eat-plums/910003082183" target="_blank">cook</a> them in lots of different recipes. Put them in your favourite crumble, top them on a tasty tart or eat them grilled with tangy goats' cheese, balsamic vinegar and spinach salad. Perfection!</p><p><center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ0lwN4BbHo/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Metis (@metisfruituk)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-10-04T09:51:30+00:00">Oct 4, 2017 at 2:51am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script></center></p><h2>7.  They've been lovingly picked</h2><p>When the fruits are ready to be picked, workers will scour the orchards for just under seven hours a day, to lovingly handpick the fruit fresh from the trees. After being given the once over, they're put in a box, ready to be packaged just for you. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="picking-metis" class="ci-image ci-original" src="https://ui3.assets-asda.com/dm/picking-metis_GL?scl=1" style="height: 533px; width: 800px;"></p><p><em>Feeling inspired to have a taste? Make sure you stock up on everything you need at <a href="http://groceries.asda.com/product/plums-apricots/asda-growers-selection-ready-to-eat-plums/910003082183" target="_blank">Asda</a> or <a href="http://storelocator.asda.com/#!/" target="_blank">pop into your local store</a>. </em></p>

7 reasons why Metis® is our new favourite fruit

By ASDA Admin,11th October 2017

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