Generally Damsons are more elongated than Bullaces, which are usually round and Damsons are slightly less tart. In the wild though it can be very complicated and for foraging purposes we treat them both the same and so whether you are making Damson Gin or Bullace Gin the method is identical.
Can you eat Bullace fruit?
Use as a food The fruit can be eaten raw when fully ripe, but can be quite acidic. Green/yellow fruits tend to be much sweeter. It can be used to make liqueurs.
Are sloes and damsons the same thing?
Sloes are the fruit of blackthorn trees and have sharp thorns and wild damson trees do not. Damsons have longer stems so hang and look more like a tiny plum. Sloes have shorter stems and hug the branches more.
What does Bullace look like?
Little-known bullace are wild greengages that can be either yellow-green or blue-black and can often be mistaken for extra-large sloes. They have a full-on fruity, plum-like taste, yet are acidic and require plenty of sugar.
What do bullace taste like?
A berry like Bullace is so tart and sour that it is inedible in all but the rarest circumstances. The process of infusing it with sugar and spirit allows its flavour to be introduced into something that can be consumed and enjoyed.
What fruit is similar to a damson?
bullace
The bullace is a variety of plum. It bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson, and like the damson is considered to be a strain of the insititia subspecies of Prunus domestica.
How can you tell a damson?
Damson
- Leaves. Dark green, shiny and oval shaped with a serrated edge.
- Flowers. Clusters of small, white flowers with five petals.
- Fruit. A dark blue/black fruit with a thin white bloom.
- Bark. The trunk is usually fairly thin the bark is often covered in scars, moss and lichen.
- Habitat.
- Possible Confusion.
- Taste.
- Frequency.
Can you eat damsons off 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 tree does bullace grow?
Bullace (Prunus insititia) is a sort of wild plum, closely related to Blackthorn and to damsons; insititia is a subspecies of Prunus domestica. It’s found in hedgerows in the wild, and adds variety to a wildlife hedge. Left unpruned, however, bullace will grow to be a small tree.
Are damsons bigger than sloes?
Sloes have a very characteristic green flesh to their blue bloomed dark purple fruit, as do damsons but they are around 15-30mm in length to the sloes 10-12mm. Damson foliage is almost free from thorns unlike it’s smaller cousin, enabling pain free picking.
What can be mistaken for sloes?
Sloe lookalikes
Other plants in the plum family such as Bullace and Damson (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia) have similar fruits, which are a bit bigger and less tart in flavour. However all of them are edible. The flower can be confused to that of Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.)
Can you eat wild damsons?
Damsons are extremely versatile. They are delicious eaten ripe but can be used in jams and crumbles, or even in wines and liquors.
Does bullace gin taste like sloe gin?
Tasting Notes
If you are a Sloe Gin drinker, then we urge you to try our Wild Bullace Liqueur. It has a Damson like fruity taste, with a very slight bitter twist and pleasant dryness to it, similar to that of a Sloe Gin.
Do bullace have stones?
4) Stone – The Bullace stone – shown left in the 4th photo – is lemon shaped (oval and pointed) as opposed to the more rounded stone of the Blackthorn. 5) Fruit Taste – The ripe fruits are sweet and have the texture of a plum although they do have a slightly bitter tannin finish.
How can you tell a damson from a plum?
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 are very small plums called?
Damsons, bullaces and cherry plums can be regarded as the semi-wild cousins of plums. They are small plum like fruits which are mainly used making jam and cooking.
What do damsons taste like?
A small fruit with vibrant dark blue skin and a strong, sour flavour, damsons are similar to plums and a member of the rose family. They have a large stone and are often juicy, but tend not be eaten raw due to the tartness of the flesh.
Is Greengage a plum?
The greengages are a group of cultivars of the common European plum. The first true greengage came from a green-fruited wild plum (Persian: گوجهسبز, romanized: Gowjehsabz) which originated in Iran (Persia). Greengages are grown in temperate areas and are known for the rich, confectionery flavour.
What are dried damsons called?
Dried Plum is a type of dried fruit that is frequently used in cakes, desserts, and Ashura. Prepared with traditional methods, dried damson plums suit many tastes.
Are damson plums and Italian plums the same?
Damson plums (also called Italian prune plums or Empress Plums) for Austrian plum cake.
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.