"Mom and her plums," is the phrase I've heard uttered more than once over the week.I love plums, esp little Italian and French plums that have ripened on the tree. Having a harvest this year is a highlight of my Spring.
In the 20 years living in my home, our plum has only born fruit one other time. Spending more time in my urban back yard during COVID, I was more than delighted a few weeks ago to look up and see our tree full of unripened green Italian plums. I am not sure why this year? Is it because we lost our HUGE Ceanothus (California Lilac aka we called the BEE tree) that has allowed more light or maybe the wet winters over the last few years helped. I don't know but these little treasures have added so much joy.
When my son was little, maybe 6, he came upstairs from the yard and handed me a paper bag of plums, telling me they were from the neighbor. This was my first Plum Galette ever. The next day we were walking to a friends home and as we turned the corner a woman approaching us had the biggest smile and said hello to my son by name. She saw the surprised look on my face and said, "I was picking plums yesterday when your son popped over the fence and asked if he could help me harvest." She went on to say what wonderful gentleman he was.
Their tree is no longer living and since been cut down. I hope they look up and take the plums hanging from the branches of our tree over their fence.
We have made 2 Plum Galettes thus far: so simple, rustic and good. My first one I started later in the evening, we sat around the kitchen island at 10:00 pm happy to dig-in to this treat. My daughter and I declared this is our favorite dessert, the sweetness balancing the tart fruit. I don't even have good photos of these tarts as they were made at night, don't let this deter you from making one ASAP.
Recipe for Plum Filing
(use any recipe you wish for the crust, be in traditional galette, pie homemade or store bought.)
- 2 lbs plums
- 3 tablespoons ground almonds or almond meal
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- 2 lbs of plums. Mine are the Italian Plums which are nice as they are free-stone and easy to pit. Cut in 1/2 or 1/4 if you are using larger plums.
- In a bowl mix the almond meal, flour and 1/4 cup of sugar.
- Spread the mixture on the crust up to 2 inches from the edge
- Distribute the plums
- Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of sugar on top, include some on the edges of the crust.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes.
- Let cool before slicing (if you can....we usually can't but always glad when we do.)
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