"framberry" - a new fruit?

[bazzaboy]

Noticed on another site, see:

Buy framberry Red Dream Framberry 'Red Dream': Delivery by Crocus.co.uk

Evidently claiming to be a hybrid strawberry/raspberry (named after the French for raspberry).

How long before some comes up with a Roast Dinner Berry that saves you the trouble of preparing all the separate bits...? Yum!

[binley100]

our local greengrocer was selling strasberries last summer .....same sort of thing . One of my lottie friends has grown some plants off them . 'twill be interesting to see what turns out if and when they fruit.

[bazzaboy]

There's no end to this, Binley, perhaps someone who's good at this gardening lark (which therefore excludes me) could invent a new tree called the Custapp Tree, an apple tree the fruit of which also tastes of custard to save the bother of making it each time (or opening a can lalalalala....). Not sure about the pastry if it's supposed to be an ApplePie&Custard Tree, p'raps it could have a short-crust bark?

I can't help but think if you want a fruit that tastes simultaneously of strawberry and raspberry whether it might not be easier to put a piece of each into your mouth at the same time?

[veggiechicken]

Haven't you ever tried custard apples? I love them! Try Goggling Cherimoya. Wish they'd grow here.

[binley100]

VC beat me to it .....although I've never tried them ......Have had a plumcot tho'

[bazzaboy]

lol, thank you VC and B... I must try them! I see Wiki describe them as:

"a blend of banana, pineapple, papaya, peach, and strawberry [which separately would indeed be a bit of a mouthful!]. Others describe it as tasting like commercial bubblegum."

Can you buy them fresh then? Or tins...? I've never seen it.... Presumably seasonal?

Oh I've started something here.... OK, B, what's a plumcot?

[veggiechicken]

Custard apples are out of this world. I have bought them here, usually in ethnic shops, West Indian. They are about the size of a small clenched fist, with papery thin green skin which has flattish dimples all over it. The pips are large and very obvious, smooth and brown - but the flesh, smooth and creamy, is like soft set custard, and the flavour is indescribable - absolutely nothing like bubblegum. MMmmmm I want one - NOW!

[Ananke]

Oh I want one of those!

[zazen999]

Oh I want one of those!

I have 2 seedlings of these on my windowsill...

Just in time for Global Warming to kick in, it would seem

[veggiechicken]

Let us know when they fruit and we'll be round! I must try growing them next time I find some for sale to add to my collection of weird and wonderful experiments.

[binley100]

A plumcot is a cross between a plum and an apricot .......tasted rather nice
bet I'll find custard apples on our market we have all sorts of different ethnic stalls .....never knew there were so many different types of aubergines *makes note to check out for custard apples

[realfood]

I have a Pluot tree which fruited for the first time last year. Very tasty! You can read all about pluots and apriums here :- plumXapricot

[bazzaboy]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. As mentioned in the first post I saw "framberry' mentioned on another gardening site (where the author was wondering if it was a hoax) and initially introduced the topic as a bit of a joke... I should have known it would immediately turn informative, there's always so much to learn!
Summing up the contributions there seems to be three threads...:
a) a hybrid strawberry/raspberry called "framberry" and "strasberry" (variation in name sometimes seems due to the commercialisation of a particular strain that is given a new name for marketing and possibly patenting (equivalent) registration.) That certainly seems to be the case with
b) a hybrid plum/apricot variously named as "plumcot", "pluot" and "apriums" where in some instances the ratio between plum and apricot seems to vary (i.e. one may be more plum than apricot, another more apricot than plum).
c) And thirdly a quite separate group/genus of the Cherimoya ("custard apple") which I've subsequently learned is most common throughout South and Central Americas and related to the much larger and well known group commonly called "paw paw" fruit.

I'll try to find all three come Spring/Summer, at least to taste rather than attempt to grow just yet as currently b) and certainly c) sound quite large trees yet to be developed on dwarf root stock or able to withstand freezing. I read that Cherimoya "likes to be within sight of snow" (i.e. have a cool dormant period) but not be amongst it as it cannot stand freezing temperatures.

P'raps we can revive this thread once anyone finds any of the three in the UK markets?

[veggiechicken]

I'd certainly like to know when the custard apples are on sale again!

[binley100]

Here's something else for you Bazzaboy ........I have just planted up some white strawberries which allegedly taste of pineapple .....