Wild plum foraging

On a special gulf island- I will not say which one.

There is a wild plum orchard.

On a mild weekend in August, we strolled there.

We picked 20 pounds and returned to pick more.

This what we did with them:

Upside down plum cake

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 6 large plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 6 wedges

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk

• Lightly sweetened whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice cream.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and honey in heavy medium skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar and honey blend in, forming thick, smooth sauce. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Arrange plums in overlapping concentric circles atop sauce. (I like to use an angle food cake pan).

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large bowl until light. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until blended. Spoon batter evenly over plums. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 30 minutes.

Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter atop cake pan. Invert cake; place platter on work surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan. Serve cake warm with whipped cream or home made vanilla ice cream.

Sauvage spiced plum chutney

• 1 whole star anise*
• 1 whole clove
• 1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds red, black, green, or blue plums (tart or sweet; about 5 large),quartered, pitted

Finely grind star anise, clove, and cinnamon stick in spice mill or coffee grinder. Combine spice mixture, vinegar, sugar, ginger, mustard seeds, and pepper in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and bring to boil. Add plums; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chutney thickens and chunky sauce forms, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool. Season to taste with salt

Wild plum jam

16-20 cups of multi coloured plums

4-10 cups of water

3-4 cups raw sugar

1 box pomonas pectin 12-14

sterilized jar & jarring tools

good conversation

Pit plums- reserve pits and boil if you like a amaretto flavour. Add strained juices to plum mix.

Add ingredients- follow pomona instructions.