The Italian plum is a sweet, oblong fruit that steals the spotlight in German baked goods in fall and winter. This tree is ideal to care for home growers in the United States because Italian plums are rarely found in supermarkets, so your tree will give you a consistent source of this seasonal fruit. Read on to learn more about Italian plums, their uses, and how to grow your own! What is an Italian plum? The Italian plum, also known as the Italian plum, is a European plum. They look very different from plums commonly available in supermarkets in the United States. An Italian plum is about the size of a large strawberry and has a somewhat oblong shape. Look for very dark purple skin that is often covered in a cloudy coating. It is fairly easy to remove the pit with these peaches because they are stone free pits, which means that the pits come out and lack the hard, fibrous parts that some pits have in the pulp of the fruit. Italian Peach History Italian peaches are native to the Mediterranean coastal regions of Italy, and although they are named after their country of origin, they are not a favorite there. Alternatively, this plum is popular in Germany and features many German sweets. This is partly due to Germany's love of peaches. 41% of Germans say grapes are their favorite fruit! Picking the Italian plum, in September is a German end-of-summer ritual. But Germans prefer peaches more than just eating them; The dried fruit is made into people's plum puppets that are popular at Christmas markets. Plum people dolls symbolize good luck, with the idea that if you have a plum in your house, you will never be without gold or prosperity. What does an Italian plum taste like? These peaches are known for their sweet flavor that deepens with cooking. You can eat them fresh and plain, but you will find them deficient in comparison to the usual red or black plums found in grocery stores. It's small, so you only need a handful to make a good snack. The hard crust makes a slight jerk when you bite into it, like slicing through a crunchy piece of bread. The Italian plum loses the fresh eating contest but wins the baking contest. This firm skin helps them hold up well when baking, and the sweet flavor deepens and becomes more complex when exposed to heat. How do I use Italian plums? You'll have plenty of options for using your Italian plums! The most common uses are baking, drying, and making brandy, but you can also eat it fresh. The bread These peaches are famous for their bread use in southern Germany, especially in cakes. Here are some of the more famous German dishes that feature Italian plums: Plum Cake - Make it on a baking sheet for an audience in a spring ware pan for an elegant presentation. This might remind you of an apple slice more than a cake. Check out other versions of the same recipe that explain its tart. Plum Dumplings - Forget everything you know about apple pies. The only thing they have in common is that they come out in a circular shape. Plum dumplings use buttered breadcrumbs to create a crunchy exterior instead of pastry dough. These are not meant to be super sweet, but somewhere in between sweet and salty. They are perfect for brunch. To dry You can dry your Italian plums in plums for storage. You won't be limited to just eating them like a regular prune. You can use them later in baked dishes or trail mixes. You may be surprised at the taste of locally grown plums when compared to plum trees that are on the market in large quantities in the United States. Or, if you find that you don't like packaged plums, try plums made with unusual plums such as Italian plums. Check out some options here for drying prunes in the oven or with dehydrated foods. Alternatively, after drying your prunes, you can make your sugar prunes! Sort people Americans may not have a cultural tradition of giving gifts to people with dried peaches, but this is a tradition I would like to see prevalent in the United States. Dolls symbolize good luck and are given as gifts during holidays as well as life events such as birthdays and weddings. They are easy to make and can be adapted for any holiday or decoration. Halloween-themed plum dolls in horrific style will be a fun craft with kids. Or use the sugar plum recipe above and have a great holiday treat while preparing your festive meals. Sure, trees like this can withstand cold winters once established, but an untimely hard freeze in late May when a new seed or fruit bud is forming can damage the tree and your expected harvest. can deliver However, they are colder than European plum varieties. Since this is a native plum and not a variety carefully created by cross-pollination, you can grow your Italian plum trees from seeds of ripe fruit. Leave the seeds outside during the winter, then plant after the cold weather is over. You can grow a single Italian plum and expect fruit because it is self-pollinating. However, an easy way to increase harvest yield is to plant a second plum tree 50 feet apart. Plant in well-drained soil. Add sand to the soil if it drains slowly (for example, soil with a heavy clay composition). For most flowers and therefore most fruit, plant in full sun and water until established. These trees are among the easiest fruit trees to grow, so they are great for gardeners who are just starting. You will know when they are ripe because they will fall to the ground; Make sure the squirrels and birds reap the rewards of your hard work.
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