Wild Plums Ancient Variety

The rustic fruit of Italian peasant tradition, recovered from the biodiversity of old varieties at risk of extinction.

Small, intense, fragrant, with variable colour: the complex flavour that modern commercial plums have forgotten

Ancient Variety Wild Plums: Authenticity and Artisanal Flavor

Le Wild Plums Ancient Variety are the fruit of one of the most fascinating traditions of Italian agriculture: recovery of ancient plum varieties which for centuries populated the fields, gardens and woods of our entire country, before being almost wiped out by theagro-industrial approval of the second half of the twentieth century. These are plums essentially multiple from the standardized commercial varieties that dominate supermarkets today: smaller, From thick skin and covered with bloom (the natural, opaque and slightly whitish waxy patina, an undoubted sign of freshness and the absence of treatments), from intense color which varies from blue-purple to red-black to golden yellow depending on the variety, from juicy pulp and from deeply complex flavor —sour, sweet, aromatic, sometimes slightly astringent — which has nothing to do with the flat and uniform sweetness of industrial plums. These are fruits that they express the territory where they grew, with aromatic nuances that change from year to year according to the season, and that recover a extraordinarily rich Italian peasant biodiversity —our country historically boasts hundreds of traditional varieties of plum tree, each linked to a specific territory, today largely guarded by a few enlightened farmers. Fruits summer par excellence (typically ripening July-September), the ancient variety of Wild Plums are extremely versatile: consumed fresh they offer an authentic sensory experience, and are exceptionally suitable for home preserves, To baked goods rustic, to the artisanal infusions and spirits.

The roots of the plum tree are deep in prehistoric agriculture and on the tables of the Etruscans and Romans.

Il plum (Prunus domestica) is one of the oldest fruit plants cultivated by humanity: probable natural hybrid between Prunus cerasifera (mirabolano cherry) and the prunus spinosa (wild blackthorn), originated in the regions of the Caucasus and Asia Minor, from where it spread westwards accompanying the first Neolithic migrations. Archaeological finds attest to its cultivation in central and southern Europe since Neolithic. The Etruscans and Romans they grew numerous varieties of plums — Pliny the Elder in its Naturalis Historia (1st century AD) describes more than a dozen of them, distinguishing them by colour (yellow, red, black, purple) and by geographical origin (Syrian, Damascene, Iberian, Italian). “Damask plum” — celebrated throughout Mediterranean antiquity — took its name from the Syrian city of Damasco, an important commercial crossroads that exported these dried plums throughout the Mediterranean. Middle Ages, the European monasteries (particularly the Benedictine and Cistercian ones) were the great custodians of the cultivation of the plum tree, selecting local varieties adapted to each territory. Renaissance Italian saw the multiplication of native varieties: the Verdacchia Plum Sicilian, the Golden drop Emilian, the San Pietro Plum of Southern Italy, the Dro Plum thirty (today Slow Food Presidium), The Vignola Plum, the Nun's Leg, the Dragon's Blood, the Blood Plum of Sardinia are just some of the hundreds of traditional Italian cultivars witnessed by historical documents and pomological research. In Nine hundred agro-industrial homologation has drastically reduced this extraordinary biodiversity to a few commercial varieties selected for yield, size, resistance to transport: today movements like Slow Food, Voluntary Register of Conservation Varieties and numerous ethnobotanical gardens They are painstakingly recovering this agricultural-cultural heritage, bringing back to Italian tables the authentic flavour that ancient wild plum varieties retain intact.

Choosing wild plums means choosing anthocyanins, biodiversity and peasant tradition.

The ancient variety of wild plums offer a rich and complex nutritional profile, generally significantly higher to that of modern commercial plums (selected for yield and appearance, often to the detriment of the concentration of active ingredients). They provide approximately 46 kcal per 100g of fresh fruit — a moderate value which makes them ideal dietary fruits for snacks, light snacks and desserts. They are rich in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, antioxidant and immune support), Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), Vitamin K (important for blood clotting and bone health) and B vitamins (especially B6). They provide Potassium (useful for blood pressure), Magnesium, Phosphorus e Calcium. The most nutritional characteristic distinctive e peculiar are the Anthocyanins — the pigments that give the characteristic blue-purple to red-black colour to the skin of the darker varieties — recognised as powerful antioxidants with beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, on the cellular protection from free radicals and on control of chronic inflammationThe ancient varieties, thanks to their thicker skin e richer in pigments, they contain it significantly more compared to modern commercial varieties. They provide dietary fibers (2-3 g per 100 g) both soluble (pectin, excellent for homemade jam and for the intestinal microbiota) and insoluble (intestinal regularity). A notable feature is the presence of sorbitol — an alcoholic sugar with recognized action mild natural laxative, which is why plums (both fresh and dried) have always been the classic grandmother's remedy against constipation. They provide antioxidant polyphenols in great variety, in particular chlorogenic acids e flavonoids with beneficial effects on carbohydrate metabolism.

How to Best Use: Ancient Variety Wild Plums

• FRESH FRUIT, FRUIT SALADS AND SPOON DESSERTS
  The most used noble and immediate of the ancient variety of wild plums is the fresh consumption, because only when raw do they fully express their aromatic complexity is that tension between sour and sweet that commercial plums have lost. Wash them briefly under cool water (don't rub them too much: the bloom on the skin is a sign of their natural freshness) and eat them at room temperature, never cold from the refrigerator (the cold attenuates their aroma). Splendid in signature summer fruit salads: Wild plums in quarters + white peaches + apricots + a few hand-torn fresh basil leaves + a spoonful of Organic Wildflower Honey from the Veio Park + a few drops of lemon juice = the perfect summer dessert, light and refined. For the Breakfast: farm-fresh plain yogurt + chopped wild plums + homemade granola + chestnut honey = a complete breakfast of the highest quality. refined spoon desserts: vegan panna cotta + wild plum coulis cooked quickly with a spoonful of sugar + a few flakes of 71% Organic Dark Chocolate. Beautiful in the summer granitas: blended pulp + water + sugar + a drop of lemon, frozen in a tray and scraped with a fork. For the gourmet summer aperitifs: wild plum segments + pecorino flakes + basil leaves + a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil + a few coarse salt crystals = a very refined sweet and sour appetizer, inspired by the tradition of Southern Italy.
• JAMS, PRESERVES, CHUTNEYS AND SIGNATURE COMPOTES
  Wild Plums are excellent raw material for the home preserves thanks to them high content of natural pectin and the aromatic complexity of their pulp. For the classic wild plum jam traditional recipe: 1 kg of pitted wild plums + 700 g of organic cane sugar + juice of half a lemon; cook slowly for 45-60 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the desired consistency is achieved; pour into sterilized jars while still boiling and invert to create a natural vacuum seal. Splendid spicy variant "with four spices": add a cinnamon stick + 4 cloves + a pinch of cardamom + orange zest during cooking = the perfect winter-Christmas jam. For adventurous palates, the English wild plum chutney: plums + red onion + apple cider vinegar + brown sugar + grated fresh ginger + a pinch of chili pepper + salt, slowly cooked to a molasses consistency = a signature condiment for aged cheeses, charcuterie boards, grilled meats. For rustic compotes: same recipe as the jam but with shorter cooking (15-20 minutes) and less sugar (350-400 g per kg) = more “pomarole” compotes to accompany fresh cheeses and ricotta. Splendid in bitter plum scraps: plums + Vinsanto + slow-cooked sugar = meditation preserve, for after dinner. For the dried plums: washed + pitted + dried in the sun or in the oven (60°C for many hours) = the classic traditional “dried plum”, excellent for fitness, cooking and desserts.
• BAKED SWEETS, SPIRITS AND NORDIC TRADITION
  The ancient variety of wild plums are excellent protagonists of numerous confectionery and liqueur traditions European. For the classic “plum tart” homemade: shortcrust pastry base + halved wild plums arranged in a radial pattern + a dusting of brown sugar + a few flaked almonds = the classic Italian summer dessert. Splendid in rustic cakes: German plum cake (“Zwetschgenkuchen”), upside-down plum cake (“Tarte Tatin aux prunes”), plum strudel instead of apples for a summer variation. Exceptional in summer plum cakes, in the plum muffins, in sweet focaccia with plums and rosemary. In signature pastry shop: wild plum crumble with walnuts + cinnamon + brown sugar + flour + butter, cooking 30 minutes at 180°C = easy and magnificent dessert. For the tradition of DISTILLATES: plum wine German (Pflaumenwein), the plum grappa of the Italian Alpine arc, the quetsch Alsatian-German (plum brandy), the famous sloegin English (gin macerated with blackthorns and sugar) are all great spirits that can be replicated in a home version: 1 kg pitted plums + 750 ml grappa + 200 g sugar + 1-3 months of maceration in the dark = signature spirit for after-dinner, splendid accompanied by Traditional Almond Cantuccino of the Tuscan tradition. For the signature panettone: add heirloom dried plums instead of the classic raisins for a top-notch alternative.

Ingredients

Fresh wild plums of ancient variety (Prunus domestica).

Fresh whole fruit, traditional Italian plum variety, harvested when ripe in summer. Contains no food allergens. 

Food container

Fresh wild plums can be preserved in room temperature in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place (for example in the kitchen or pantry, away from heat sources) for 3 5-days, or in refrigerator in the vegetable compartment (4-8°C) for 7 10-daysIt is advisable not to store plums in closed plastic bags which would encourage the formation of humidity and mould; it is better to store them in an open bowl or basket, also because plums continue to ripen after being harvested (fruits climacteric): if you buy them while they are still slightly unripe, leave them at room temperature for one or two days before consuming them. Before use, rinse the plums briefly under running fresh water, avoiding rubbing them too much so as not to remove the pruine (the whitish waxy patina) which is a positive sign: indicates freshness, naturalness and the absence of post-harvest chemical treatments. To freeze them: washed + pitted + cut into wedges + arrange on a tray + freeze for 2-3 hours + transfer to food bags labeled with the date = excellent for smoothies, jams, desserts all year round. To dry them and obtain top-quality dried plums: washed + pitted + arranged on a grill + dried in the summer sun for 3-5 days or in the oven at 60°C for several hours with the door ajar = a precious autumn-winter supply.

Nutritional Values ​​(indicative average values ​​per 100g of product)

• Energy: approximately 195 kJ / 46 kcal
• Fat: approximately 0,3 g (of which saturated fatty acids: negligible)
• Carbohydrates: approximately 10 g (of which natural sugars: approximately 9 g)
• Fiber: approximately 2,5 g
• Protein: approximately 0,7 g
• Salt: negligible
• Vitamin C: approximately 10-15 mg

Nutritional values ​​are indicative and estimated based on the average values ​​of fresh plums of traditional Italian varieties. Since this is a product made from agricultural raw materials, slight variations in nutritional values ​​are possible due to the seasonality of the harvest, the specific variety, and the characteristics of the crop. 

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