Wild Damson
(Prunus insititia)
Damsons trees are covered in small white flowers during October: the resulting fruit is ready to pick in February. The purple skin of these little plums is covered in a powdery 'bloom' which brushes off to the touch. As they are quite sharp to taste they are best cooked rather than eaten raw. On wet heavy soil damsons will sucker in great profusion forming thickets, as they do here growing wild around the property.
Damson Cheese
'Fruit Cheese' is a solidly set jam that can be cut into slices. The name refers to its texture only, as it contains no dairy products.
Boil harvested damsons with scant water, just enough to prevent burning as you don't want your puree to be too runny. Pass through a coarse sieve to remove the stones.
Reheat 1lt puree on low (must be low or will 'catch'), adding 500ml white sugar once bubbling. Raise heat to medium and cook out till a trail is left as you pull the spoon through the mix - listen for a sizzling sound as you do so. Test for readiness by watching how it drops from the spoon - it should be quite blobby. It is ready more by intuition than recipe: you need to cook it down till it's quite thick, yet not cook it so far that the sugar caramelises and burns. Better to take it under than go over!
Pour into lightly-oiled mini-muffin tins (smaller shapes mature quicker than larger ones) and leave to set overnight. Tip out onto plastic chopping boards (plum acids will react with metal) and leave uncovered in a cupboard to dehydrate as it matures. Once a crunchy, sugary bloom has developed over the surface it is ready to cut - allow 6-12 months for this, though it will keep for at least 2 years.
More Fruit Cheeses : Apple, Currant & Quince
Sheila's Damson (or Sloe) Gin
- 1 lb450 gr Damson
- 1 lb450 gr Sugar
- 1 pintjust over 1/2 litre Gin
""Last year we had enough Damsons to make a pint of gin with them, looking forward to sampling some this Christmas. In Suffolk, near our pond, we had Blackthorn (sloe) suckering like mad, alas not here. Prick fruit and put into demi-john or other vessel with sugar and gin, keep in dark cool place - everytime you pass give it a swirl."
"... leave for at least 3 months, preferably a year" says Sheila.
