One unexpected benefit I found shortly after beginning my blog was connecting with like minded food people all over the world. One such find was Caroline who writes ‘All That I’m Eating’ hailing from Berkshire in the South of England. I’m now not sure how I found her but it was like looking into a mirror across The Pond. Caroline is a local, seasonal eater, scouring her Farmer’s Market and foraging; writing about her adventures along with recipes she makes which also include ingredients from her garden. Her restaurant reviews recall for me all the time I’ve spent in England and she affords a sense of ‘arm chair travel’. I envy her local ingredients unavailable in the U.S. and have fun attempting to find equivalents here as she does in the U.K. with recipe ingredients I use.
We found we both really enjoy infusing liquor as well. We’ve shared recipes and each tried them with what we have available locally. Caroline has indulged my spastic, desperate Anglophile emails when getting a wild hair to make things like Hedgerow Gin in Colorado where our hedgerows are nothing like those feeding the originating English recipes. I love her approachable recipes for honest food featuring beautiful seasonal ingredients. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite but one that caught my fancy I have yet to try was this fantastic Victoria Sponge cake made uniquely by weighing the eggs and ensuring the sugar, butter and flour weigh the same instead of specific measurements (click here).
Caroline was very kind to ask I do a guest post for her blog and has been patient with me as I navigate the summer for fall, hoping to find a unique recipe representing America but one also able to be made in England. She has just published my Guest Post which you can read in full by clicking here. I’ve included an excerpt below and encourage you to check out her blog. It’s one of my favorites!
I have a personal soft spot for vintage recipes, often reinvigorating those from my multigenerational family recipe box or from vintage recipe collections I’ve purchased online.I’m not a fussy baker; I admire a pristine, flawless Martha Stewart caliber cake but it’s just not in my DNA to produce one myself.I also love a rustic dish that seems like real people have and would enjoy eating it.
Of late I’ve become a bit taken with rustic Americana desserts gone by the wayside. Their names are captivating and strange; Pandowdy, Brown Betty, Grunt, Slump and Buckles. Each name has very practical roots despite not leaving the dish sounding incredibly enticing! These desserts all center on seasonal fruit, are generally simple and fast to prepare (all the better in my book). I liked the idea of sharing one of these on All That I’m Eating as they are usually stemming from our original U.S. Colonists which would mean the Mother dish resides most likely in England. I’d love to know what you think inspired the version we ended up with in early America!
Plums are just coming into season in Colorado and I understand Damsons are beginning in England as well. I’ve never had a Damson Plum and quite envy the gin Caroline has made with them, begging her to describe the flavor which of course is a bit like explaining a color to someone without sight. I have a weekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share in a local farm and this week left with a large bag of beautiful mixed plums in all sizes and colors.
Despite sounding like a dish featuring fruit with bad posture this Plum Slump is a lovely dessert, not too sweet, simple and relaxed. This same dish is either known as a ‘Slump’ or a ‘Grunt’ depending on where in the U.S. it is consumed. The south would call it a slump because as it cooks the sweet dumpling atop the fruit relaxes into a slump. In New England it’s referred to as ‘grunt’ due to the sound made by the steam escaping through the dumpling as it cools. Regardless of the less-than-tantalizing names, the dish stands on its own and does not disappoint!
This is a very versatile dessert really able to be made with any type of fruit or a fruit mixture. Instead of varying from the plums I used four varieties turning the thickened fruit on the bottom a gorgeous red tone. The recipe calls to simmer the fruit then add a bread topping which cooks into a soft, sweet dumpling.
PLUM SLUMP
I clearly was flying my Yank flag when making this, completely neglecting a conversion to weight measurements! I had full intention to weigh as I baked but was so excited I forgot. Caroline has come to my rescue with a conversion chart (click here). A note on the flour, I am gluten free so made this with gluten free flour but regular flour can easily be substituted.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
· 3 cups plums, pitted and sliced
· ¾ cup granulated sugar
· ¾ cup water*
· ¾ cup all purpose flour (regular or gluten free)
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/8 teaspoon salt
· 3 tablespoons butter, cold
· 1/3 cup buttermilk
*should you want to experiment a bit, substituting a light dessert wine for some or all of the water would add some unique flavor to the plum mixture.
1. In a large sauce pan combine the plums, water and ½ cup sugar. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to simmer on low heat.
2. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, remaining sugar (1/4 cup), baking powder, cinnamon, salt. Add butter cutting it into the flour mixture with handheld pastry blender or a dull kitchen knife until resembling crumbs.
3. Add buttermilk to flour mixture and stir just until lightly mixed. Do not over mix.
4. Spoon small mounds of dumpling dough on top of the simmering fruit mixture (remember it will ‘slump’ together to cover the mixture). Simmer covered until a toothpick inserted into the dumplings comes out clean about 15-20 minutes. Note: dumplings will cook through but will remain softer in texture. Serve warm.
*Blushes* what a kind introduction Toni! I can't wait to give this a try, I just need to get my hands on some mixed plums and damsons.
Thank you Caroline for asking me to guest post for you; I'm honored! Hopefully it turned out as you'd hoped. Also thanks for the waiting until things lined up well for the recipe!
A love plum dessert, Toni. Eating some damsons now
)
I'm tortured by never having tasted a Damson. You've reignited my search to see if someone has some in this area! Hope yours are yummy!
oh yummy!
I promise it is Claudia! Happy Labor Day to you and I hope you are surviving the weather in your area.
I've felt that since I'm in New England I should have tried making a grunt already, and seeing your pictures I really want to! The filling is gorgeous, and I wish there was more summer left to enjoy pies like this.
I can tell you Shirley this is a very simple dessert taking less than 30 minutes start to finish! I love that it's so casual and simple. Hope to make some more as we ease into fall!
This looks great! I am from Boulder as well and I have been harvesting the fruit around town all summer…its been a good season. Also, you being a localvore out and everything you should check out thesecondkitchen.org. Its a great place for community, food and knowledge.
Are you urban foraging fruit Emily? I'd love to know more. I drive by several apple trees on my daily route and note no one picking them. They are falling into the street and rotting. Thank you very much for the Second Kitchen info! I popped on the website briefly and can't wait to read more.
I actually started this small pie business from my home. I made hand pies and sold them at the Boulder Outdoor Cinema…they ended up being quite a hit! I started out with cherries in June and then eventually moved to apricots, blackberries, peaches, plums and apples. I pick all of it from fruit around Boulder, mostly West of 9th street along University, College and Marine. You'd be surprised how many fruit trees are in this town. Its pretty amazing.
If you are interested at all in being a member of The Second Kitchen, just sign up on the waitlist! The food standards that we uphold are very strict and focused on local, organic, well-produced food. All of our suppliers are hand selected by our food coordinator and nearly everything we have is sourced within 300 miles.
Anyway….enough of my speil. Hope you are having a lovely day!
Those plumpy photos are beautiful and inviting. Plum is definitely something I must try to work into my baked treats. Your plum slump reminds me of a cobbler. Right now, I could only feast with my eyes, but I am dreaming of serving them with some vanilla ice-cream. *Guilty*
. Have a good week ahead!
Thank you for your comment here and on Google +! I don't bake a ton with plums but am always happy when I do. There is a great recipe for Plum Upside Down Cake on my blog too if the baking bug bites you!
Plum is certainly an overlooked baking ingredient. It is quite healthy though sometimes can be a bit pricey. At any rate, definitely a fantastic recipe and good for a change of pace. Thanks, Toni!
So nice to discover two new blogs. That dessert would be nice on any table!
I love rustic summer desserts. This looks simple and lovely — and I'm reminded that I've not made ANY plum desserts this summer! I need to get on that.