The wild damsons here look like they're about a week away, the ones I used to visit near Nottingham must therefore be ripe now (they were always a little earlier than the ones here, which are a bit sheltered).
Still tons of wild plums on trees here.
British plums aplenty on Cambridge market.
twoscoops
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 1924 Location: Warwickshire
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 05 9:57 am Post subject:
Question about wild plums; How big are damsons? I saw a load of damsons on the market on saturday and they appeared smaller than those I picked last year. Is it possible that I picked bullaces or some other wild plum and mistook them for damsons?
I wouldn't worry too much TS, they're all pretty variable, some wild cherry plums are totally tasteless others are as good as gages, it's more about how tasty they are in my opinion.
Question about wild plums; How big are damsons? I saw a load of damsons on the market on saturday and they appeared smaller than those I picked last year. Is it possible that I picked bullaces or some other wild plum and mistook them for damsons?
It's possible, but don't fret over it because wild damsons can be very variable in size, and of course their size will vary from year to year; bear in mind that the early damsons (the ones on the market now) also tend to be smaller.
I'm not clear on how much intermixing there has been between bullace and damson, but I'd guess that there has been some, so the line between them may be a little blurred.
Best way you have for defining a damson is whether it tastes like a damson.
Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 23956 Location: under some rain.
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 05 10:03 am Post subject:
Plenty of plums and damsons in the greengrocers, made damson jam esterday.
Sharing my own plums around the office as I type...
Sharing my own plums around the office as I type...
It's all blokes you work with isn't it? It's his wife I feel sorry for
Jonnyboy
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 23956 Location: under some rain.
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 05 10:07 am Post subject:
It's like shooting fish, it really is...
Bernie66
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 13967 Location: Eastoft
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 05 10:37 am Post subject:
tahir wrote:
Jonnyboy wrote:
Sharing my own plums around the office as I type...
It's all blokes you work with isn't it? It's his wife I feel sorry for
I would get finished up for doing that kind of thing- we're not that open minded up here on Wirral
twoscoops
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 1924 Location: Warwickshire
Posted: Mon Aug 22, 05 11:14 am Post subject:
[quote="cab
It's possible, but don't fret over it because wild damsons can be very variable in size, and of course their size will vary from year to year; bear in mind that the early damsons (the ones on the market now) also tend to be smaller.
I'm not clear on how much intermixing there has been between bullace and damson, but I'd guess that there has been some, so the line between them may be a little blurred.
Best way you have for defining a damson is whether it tastes like a damson.[/quote]
Thing is I'm not so hot on what damsons taste like anyway. I'll try and post some pics after I go picking.
Well, not a single plum to be found in what passes for a market here; couldn't see where the apples (or indeed anything else) were from either, possibly the labels were covered up with the ones saying "do not touch" "do not handle" (no "please").
Given up on going to this market, by the way. Utter waste of time, energy, and quite possibly any notes that you happen to have in your back pocket unless you keep a good eye about you.
There are no greengrocers within a lunchtime's walking distance either.
So I have nothing to contribute to this thread and don't really know why I've bothered writing the above. I should have stayed inside with my Jeeves and Wooster book.
twoscoops
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 1924 Location: Warwickshire