Sunday, July 6, 2014

A Plum Bonanza


Chronica Domus
An overly filled trug of juicy Santa Rosa plums resting in the crook of a neighboring pear tree
Photo: Chronica Domus


Back in March, I published a post highlighting the variety of white blooms in my garden. At the time our Santa Rosa plum tree was full of blossom and I was excited at the prospect of savoring the juicy fruits that were to come later in the year.

Chronica Domus
 Plum blossoms as photographed earlier this year
Photo: Chronica Domus


I had no idea that this would be one of those flush years which had every branch laden with fruit.  In fact, by the time the first succulent plums were ready to be picked and devoured, the branches would be positively groaning, having been dragged to the ground begging to be relieved of their heavy load.

I was happy to oblige my dear old tree and so on June 11, I began to pick as much of the ripened fruit as I could gather within arms reach.  As you will have noticed from viewing the leading photograph in this posting, it was a bonanza to be reckoned with.  What I've managed to pick thus far is not even close to the lion's share of the harvest. Basket loads of plums still remain on our lone tree.  Some are much higher up and require a ladder to reach, others have yet to ripen.  To say I was euphoric at this exceptional bounty is an understatement.  My daughter, I think, is the most excited for she has not stopped guzzling down the fruits, despite my protestations of a ruined appetite for a dinner that surely will go untouched.  

Chronica Domus
Unripened plums in shades of rosy pink, apricot and chartreuse covered in their wax bloom
Photo: Chronica Domus


Introduced in 1906 by Luther Burbank, a prolific American botanist and agricultural scientist, the Los Angeles Times wrote of Prunus salicina "Santa Rosa" that it is "the gold standard of farmers' market plum flavor".  If you are as fortunate as I to taste these delicious fruits, you too will agree they are indeed a winner. I have yet to stumble across a plum to equal the sweetness and juiciness of these little gems, which is probably the reason I have practically given up on eating the dry mealy rock-hard plums available for sale at most supermarkets in our area.  Believe it or not, even with their known superior flavor, Santa Rosa plums are not a commercial favorite with growers.  The variety's susceptibility to disease may have something to do with this sad reality. Where you will find these fruits for sale is at the numerous farmers' markets during stone fruit season, which is in full swing during the months of June and July in the Bay Area.

Chronica Domus
The plums are deepening in color as they mature
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
This branch holds three plums in various stages of ripening
Photo: Chronica Domus


As the fruits develop on the branch, they are covered by a natural white coating called a wax bloom, which makes their ripening hues appear muted when compared to their final jewel-like color.  I particularly enjoy viewing the spectrum of colors to be found on any given branch. Beautiful shades of vivid chartreuse, apricot, rosy pink, salmon, and the deepest claret red can be spied co-mingling and dangling temptingly like precious stones. Surely, Monet and the great painters of the world would be moved by such a painterly palette put forth by Mother Nature.

Chronica Domus
A rainbow of plums beginning to weigh down the boughs of our tree
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
A week later, the plums are ready to be picked as boughs are dragged to the ground
Photo: Chronica Domus


Batches of plums have been dispatched to good friends and neighbors, which is all part of the excitement of growing our fruit.  I have filled compotes and bowls and placed them in the dining room and in the kitchen. The house is filled with their pleasing fragrance which one cannot fail but notice upon entering and being greeted by the heady fruity fragrance. It is just heavenly!

Chronica Domus
Wiped of their wax bloom and ripened to the deepest shade of ruby claret
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
A cross section of a juicy Santa Rosa plum showing its deep claret color
Photo: Chronica Domus


Not only do we eat our plums, we like to bake with them too.  A simple rustic plum pie is a tasty and practical way of using the over-ripe plums that have sat around in bowls and have continued to ripen. I've already made two this week.

Chronica Domus
Our rustic plum pie ready for the oven
Photo: Chronica Domus


Our hungry lunch or dinner guests always appreciate a home-made pie, especially during plum season. We serve our pie warm with vanilla ice cream, my American husband's preferred method of eating it, or at room temperature with decadent whipped double cream.  My daughter prefers to pour cream all over her pie until it pools around it, which is a very British way of approaching things.  Nature versus nurture I think.  Won't you join us for a slice?

Chonica  Domus
Please do help yourself to plum pie and cream
Photo: Chronica Domus


Do you enjoy eating or cooking with plums when in season, or do you have another favorite stone fruit you look forward to eating when at its seasonal peak?

22 comments:

  1. Lucky you, CD! What a stunning crop. Have you thought about making a batch of plum jam?

    I love all stone fruit, but apricots and white clingstone peaches would have to be my favourites. Something to look forward to in a few months' time, though - it's quince and rhubarb season in these parts.

    Spud.

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    1. Yes, I am a lucky girl indeed! I've made plum jam in the past, especially on particularly bountiful years, but this summer I decided to experiment with the pies instead. I think everyone appreciated them as there were hardly any leftovers.

      Oh, I love rhubarb too and always buy some to make crumbles when in season. And, as for quince, is there anything better than quince paste?

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  2. The pictures of your plum tree are magically beautiful, and the pie you made looks very tempting. You are lucky to have a Santa Rosa tree, with jewel-like fruit of such high quality. I have long been a fan of the work of Luther Burbank, and recently finished reading a new biography of him.

    Do you usually polish the bloom off your plums, or just for this photo to show the bright underlying color? I have never seen them displayed like that.
    --Jim


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    1. Hello Jim, how interesting that you've just read a biography on Mr. Burbank. I think he was a fascinating man and we fruit eaters have a lot to thank him for. I did not know he lived (and died) in the town of Santa Rosa, which is a town I've visited several times. I'll have to dig a little deeper and read his biography. Thanks for the inspiration.

      As for the waxy bloom on my plums, yes I did remove it for the purpose of the photograph where they sit on a compote ready to be eaten. Most of the bloom comes off as you pick the fruit directly from the branches, and the remainder is simply washed off just before eating.

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  3. Replies
    1. I wish I could send some your way, everyone needs to taste one of these plums.

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  4. Replies
    1. Hello Natalia, yes I agree, heavenly! I'm so happy we got a good crop as it seems the neighboring cherry tree did poorly in the fruit stakes this year.

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  5. What lovely plums! Thanks for sharing them with us. Have you ever made a plum cake (Not the Christmas one) ?

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    1. Hello Megs, and thanks for your comment. No, I've never made plum cake. It sounds delicious though. Have you?

      It is rather curious that the Christmas one you refer to (plum pudding, or Christmas pudding as we Brits call it) has no plums in it at all.

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  6. My kind of low hanging fruit. Those plums are absolutely gorgeous and they are my favorite fruit. I am now about to walk out the door and see what my grocer has on offer. I am afraid you have raised the bar too high.

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    1. Hello GSL, yes, we are rather spoilt with our home grown tasty harvest, but if you have a local farmers' market, you'll likely discover a toothsome morsel or two there. Peaches and nectarines are beginning to flood the market in my area and boy oh boy have they been good this season!

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  7. CD,
    What a beautiful example of plums growing on a lovely tree, as they should. I confess, I rarely buy plums for the exact reasons you mentioned. Even when they tempt me in the market, the first bite is so often a disappointment. I have always wanted to try Ina Garten's plum tart. We have a farmers market nearby on Saturdays and I'll have to head over this month to see if they sell Santa Rosa plums.
    We used to have an apricot tree that would provide us with a bumper crop of apricots every two or three years...sadly, the birds sampled nearly all of the apricots before they had ripened.
    Lovely images.
    Karen

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    1. Hello Karen,

      I love apricots but, alas, it is far too cool to grow them in my area. I bet yours tasted delish! I'd be tempted to make apricot jam if I had a bumper crop and spread it on a croissant for breakfast, à la française.

      By the way, I fear our cherries have gone the same way as your apricots - those birds were hungry this year!

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  8. Dear Chronica,
    What a beautiful harvest! Another way to use that beautiful fruit is to make jam or chutney. When we lived in Fresno, I would make chutney for ourselves and to give as gifts.
    Karen

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    1. Hello Karen,

      Thank you for your comment. I've never made chutney, or even considered using plums to make it, but I can imagine they'd be a nice sweet addition to a recipe. In England, I remember spreading onion chutney on a good cheddar cheese sandwich - delish!

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    2. Dear Chronica,
      Here is a good basic recipe for plum chutney if you wish to try it. If you can make marmalade, you can make chutney:

      http://www.thekitchn.com/small-batch-recipe-an-adaptable-chutney-urban-preserving-with-marisa-mcclellan-173002

      In addition to jazzing up that cheese sandwich, it makes a wonderful accompaniment with any grilled/roasted meat and is also an easy appetizer when spooned over cream cheese. Enjoy!
      Karen

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    3. Karen, thanks for stopping by again and suggesting this recipe. I shall give it a try. You never know, I may have to introduce it to my beloved cheddar sarnies.

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  9. Gorgeous colours - good enough to eat! We're off to Blighty shortly and I am so looking forward to the summer fruits, (of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), and if I could find them where they don't taste like cardboard, I would choose plums. But alas I have never had much success in finding any as delicious sounding as yours. Oh, nectarines and peaches too. Some of the aforementioned are available here, but at a huge premium, because they are imported. We do pretty well with mangoes, pineapples, mangosteens, rambutans etc etc.

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    1. Hello Columnist,

      You are a lucky bug indeed to have a summer visit to Blighty. I remember the strawberries when I lived in Kent and we used to buy them from the farmers at the field. They were the best I've ever eaten. Also, cherries too which we kids acquired by scrumping.

      Your tropical fruit choices sound tasty. I had to look um what rambutans are as I've never heard of them. Now I want to try one.

      Do enjoy your trip and I hope to read all about it on your blog.

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    2. Those are the most beautiful plums I have ever seen...seriously! All I could think of was plum tart, plum tart, plum tart! but I see you got there ahead of me. Nothing like that hanging around my back of the woods, not even remotely so I will have to do with the dull ones at the supermarket....sigh

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    3. Thank you, Lindaraxa, I think they are beautiful too. Mother Nature needs no improvement when she provides us with these colors.

      Yes, plum tarts have been a popular dessert here, but fear not, with the addition of some sugar, supermarket plums will shine in your tarts.

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