Damson plums (also called Italian prune plums or Empress Plums) for Austrian plum cake.
What are Italian plums called?
What are Italian plums? Italian plums, also called Italian prune plums, are a European plum. They look much different than the commonly available plums in United States supermarkets. Italian plums are about the size of a large strawberry, and they have an oblong shape rather.
How can you tell a plum from a damson?
Let’s start with the basics: first and foremost, plums tend to be predominantly round, whereas damsons are characterised by an oblong-oval shape. But an even more obvious differentiating feature is that plums have a pronounced, grooved longitudinal seam, whereas the same seam on damsons is far more difficult to see.
What is an Italian plum tree?
This plant goes by a wide variety of names including Italian Prune, Italian Prune Plum, and Fellenberg Plum. It is a European Plum variety, prunus domestica ‘Italian,’ that is popular in home orchards throughout the country. This stone fruit has smooth, purple skin with a dusting of powdery blue.
What is a fruit called Damson Plum?
The damson (/ˈdæmzən/) or damson plum (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia, or sometimes Prunus insititia), also archaically called the “damascene”, is an edible drupaceous fruit, a subspecies of the plum tree.
Are prunes plums the same as Italian plums?
To borrow a phrase, Italian plums (also known as “prune” or “Stanley” plums) “don’t get no respect.” They’re about half the size of a typical plum and are curiously egg shaped, as if they’re all pit and no fruit. But savvy cooks know that the secret to these modest, bluish-purple fruits is the application of heat.
Are Italian plums black plums?
Italian prune plums are small, egg-shaped black plums that are about the size of a large berry. Their smooth, thin skin carries the cloudy look of a blueberry. While most often used for drying as prunes, Italian prune plums have a sweet flavor.
Can you eat Damson plums raw?
Modern cultivated damsons (such as the Merryweather variety) can be eaten raw when ripe, although there is about as much stone as there is flesh. In general, they’re best cooked, which brings out their sweet, spicy flavour. Many home-brewers are also eager to harvest the fruit to make damson ‘wine’ or damson gin.
Can you eat damsons straight from the tree?
Damsons are a really reliable fruit and reward the gardener with a good harvest of delicious plump fruit for eating straight from the tree or making into jams, pies and crumbles.
What are Damson plums good for?
Damson plums are considered a fruit with a high concentration of bioactive compounds, such as vitamins (A, C, and E). They also contain other compounds, which contribute to their antioxidant capacity, helping remove or neutralise free radicals that can cause cellular damage to humans.
Are Italian plums edible?
Famous worldwide for reliability and heavy setting, Italian Prune plum is a large purple freestone plum with yellow-green flesh. Great for drying and canning due to their sweet and firm flesh, these plums are also fresh eating favorites right off the tree.
Does an Italian plum tree need a pollinator?
Plum flowers are self-fertile, so no pollinator tree is required, but they will make a larger crop if cross-pollination happens. Once the plum tree grows, it continues to be easy to care for. No pests bother it, and it will be naturally disease resistant.
Where do Italian plums grow?
An Italian plum or prune is a type of small fruit-bearing tree native to Europe. Also called fellenburg, the Italian plum is often planted by homeowners wishing to grow edible fruit on their property. The scientific, or botanical, name for this tree is Prunus domestica.
What are the small purple plums called?
French Prune
Compact purple European-style plums—about the size of a large walnut—that are deliciously sweet when soft, deliciously tart when firm. Also often called sugar plums.
Are damsons poisonous to dogs?
Prunus species
Apricots, nectarines, damsons, cherries, plumbs, peaches and cherry laurel all belong to the Prunus family. If the seeds, or stones of these fruits are chewed and swallowed, it can cause toxic effects.
Is a Damson plum a prune plum?
One of the best varieties of plums for cooking is the Shropshire, a type of Damson, often referred to as a prune because it dries well and is tasty. The flavor can be astringent when raw, but delightful when cooked, baked, or dried.
Why do prunes have a laxative effect?
Prunes contain large amounts of phenolic compounds (184 mg/100 g), mainly as neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, which may aid in the laxative action and delay glucose absorption.
Do Italian plums ripen off the tree?
Just like nectarines and pears, plums complete their ripening cycle off the tree. This is why you will typically purchase them firm and allow them to sit at room temperature a few days to soften.
What type of plums do they use to make prunes?
European plum trees
Prunes come from varieties of European plum trees that are freestone, meaning the pit is easier to remove while fresh plums tend to be clingstone. Most prunes are made from the La Petite d’Agen plum, which was brought to California from France in 1856 by French horticulturist Louis Pellier.
What is the tastiest plum?
Toka Plum
The Toka plum is a wonderful variety that might just be the sweetest plum you have ever tasted. In fact, it is sometimes called the Bubblegum plum because it really does taste like bubblegum! These medium-sized plums have warm red skin and bright yellow flesh.
Which variety of plum is sweetest?
Mirabelle plums
Mirabelle plums are the sweetest of all plum varieties. The small fruit with a slight reddish blush is popular for making eau-de-vie in France. Red plum varieties have bright red skin.