Tuesday 16 August 2022

Bearing Fruit

This is just to say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

[by William Carlos Williams]

I know, I post this poem most years- but when somebody gave us all a bag of plums on yesterday, at our craft group, I thought of it again! How generous of this woman to share the fruit from the tree in her garden. They are so delicious, cold from the fridge on a hot day! But also lovely in a plum crumble when the weather turns colder [it will, it will...]
In the afternoon, my neighbour gave me a bag of Bramley apples from her tree - and asked if Bob would kindly help with picking the higher fruits sometime this week. I think there will be a few pies going into the freezer soon.
Last week the bananas went soft incredibly quickly in the heat - as did those in my neighbour's fruit bowl - I made a couple of banana loaves with them all, which freeze well [recipe here- but I substituted sultanas for the nuts]
I'm looking forward to dealing with the harvest of apples and pears from the two fruit trees out by the raised bed soon too.
And if it gets cooler, we shall walk the lanes and pick blackberries.
How blessed we are to have such a rainbow of fruits to enjoy...
Caravaggio's 'Still Life with Fruit' [c. 1603] I could just eat one of those figs! Of course it is very unlikely that this amazingly gifted artist would ever have unzipped a banana for his midmorning snack.


12 comments:

  1. I love plums in any form-raw, poached with cinnamon and as prunes-all yummy. Catriona

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  2. Plums in season are my favourite fruit I think. I notice Caravaggio has the all-purple plums (or is that the all-plum plums?). I'd prefer yours for eating but they wouldn't contrast so well with the oranges behind them.

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    1. Eating fresh I prefer the red/golden ones - or proper greengages over 'purple 'Victorias'. Cooking in a pie or crumble, any plum will do!

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  3. I'm about to experiment with 'plum shrub'.
    It appears to be raw halved and stoned Plums to two-thirds fill a jar, topped up with dark rum. Plus a few bits like lemon and sugar. Seal tightly, ready to drink at Christmas.... one liquer glass of this and I'll be stoned too!

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    1. I believe that fruit juice diluted with water and sugar is called a sherbet or a cordial, and if with rum or brandy it is a shrub, and if fermented with vinegar its a fruit vinegar. Shrubs sound a little too boozy for me!

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  4. That poem is beautiful, I bet the plums were exquisite and the still life seems so decadent and indulgent.

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    Replies
    1. Such a variety of tastes and textures...

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  5. Freshly picked ripe plums are wonderful!

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  6. I love that poem. We like the Italian prune plum, so delicious in plum cake.
    When it's hot, we keep bananas in the fridge. The skins turn brown, but the inside remains firm. ~skye

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    Replies
    1. I discovered today that Marks and Spencers sell off browning bananas very cheaply to prevent food waste. The paper bag even carries a recipe on the side.

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  7. I've been picking fresh figs off the tree here in France! Yum!
    We bought a plum tree this year but it is yet to fruit!

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