If little Jack Horner was lucky, the plum that he pulled from his Christmas pie was a damson from Lori Murray’s Orchard. Murray had some of the small amethyst-colored fruit on sale last weekend at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. They’re smaller and darker colored than the more widely known Santa Rosa variety – slighter more sour too – making them an ideal candidate for baking.
They’re best put to use in preserves or jams. You can follow the recipe for regular plum jam, but since damsons have a high natural pectin level, you’ll probably be okay with just plums and sugar (unless you want a really stiff texture). Most recipes that feature the Santa Rosa variety can easily be adapted to use damsons as well, though you may have to add in a wee bit more sugar. Be sure to taste the damsons first to assess their sweetness, then have fun baking plum tarts, cakes and clafoutis. Damsons have a number of savory applications as well, serving as a fine base for salsas and conserves. Grilled plums are great served over ice cream and can even serve as the base for a sauce to accompany full-flavored proteins.
Murray was fairly certain she’d have damsons on hand at the Maplewood Farmers’ Market this week, but you’ll have to get up early if you wait until the weekend.
Due to the seasonal nature of our area markets, supplies may vary from week to week.
This article appears in Sep 1-30, 2011.