Italian Plums

[ozgirl]

Has anyone spotted Italian plums in any of the grocery stores lately?

I saw the first of the season's crop at the Dupont Farmer's Market. But given that I need 8 lbs worth (for tarts), 6-8 little plums that fit in the pint sized container and sell for $4 a pint isn't going to cut it. I need to buy in bulk.

[Heather]

Has anyone spotted Italian plums in any of the grocery stores lately?

Costco in Gaithersburg had large clamshells of Italian plums last week.

[zoramargolis]

Costco in Gaithersburg had large clamshells of Italian plums last week.

Costco in Pentagon City had the same clamshells of plums yesterday. I also saw them in bulk at the Social Safeway this morning.

The other noteworty thing I found for the first time at Costco yesterday was Genova tuna in olive oil--the same brand they sell at Trader Joe's. The Costco four-pack price was $5.49.

Edited September 8, 2005 by zoramargolis

[DonRocks]

Q: What do you call an Italian professional wrestler no longer suffering from irregularity?

A: Pruno Sammartino.

[Al Dente]

Italian plums...

[ol_ironstomach]

On a vaguely related note, is there a local German bakery that makes the Bavarian tart known as zwetschgendatschi (or its northerly clone, pflaumenkuchen)? Yeah, I know it's too late for this year, but the thread reminded me that I haven't had one since the German deli near Fairfax circle shut down some years ago...they're normally made with late Damson plums, but some recipes call for Italian.

[Al Dente]

Bavarian tart...

[monavano]

On a vaguely related note, is there a local German bakery that makes the Bavarian tart known as zwetschgendatschi (or its northerly clone, pflaumenkuchen)? Yeah, I know it's too late for this year, but the thread reminded me that I haven't had one since the German deli near Fairfax circle shut down some years ago...they're normally made with late Damson plums, but some recipes call for Italian.

You could try the German Gourmet in Falls Church, or Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe.

[ozgirl]

Evey year, come late Summer/early Fall, my family has a tradition of baking swetchkenkuchen (plum tart). Need italian (prune) plums. Anyone seen any in stores lately? If so, where? (I can't find them.)

[mdt]

Evey year, come late Summer/early Fall, my family has a tradition of baking swetchkenkuchen (plum tart). Need italian (prune) plums. Anyone seen any in stores lately? If so, where? (I can't find them.)

Not a store, but there is a vendor at the DuPont market that has them. Anyone seen them there yet?

[lperry]

Costco has them right now. Not local, but in large quantities.

[zoramargolis]

Evey year, come late Summer/early Fall, my family has a tradition of baking swetchkenkuchen (plum tart). Need italian (prune) plums. Anyone seen any in stores lately? If so, where? (I can't find them.)

They are a later-ripening variety, and you won't find them in the farmers markets until we get closer to Fall. Most of the larger local stone-fruit orchards grow them (Toigo, Black Rock, Twin Springs--I'm sure that there are many others.) You can also find them in larger Asian markets, like H Mart and Super H.

[monavano]

Try Allenberg Orchards. I'm not sure if they're still at the Kingstowne Market (Fri. 4-7).

[Pool Boy]

Evey year, come late Summer/early Fall, my family has a tradition of baking swetchkenkuchen (plum tart). Need italian (prune) plums. Anyone seen any in stores lately? If so, where? (I can't find them.)

And I make plum upside down cake with them. Any chance you'd share your plum tart recipe at all?

I usually do not start seeing them for another week or two into the season (usually right around Sept 1).

[ozgirl]

This board is brilliant!! Thank you to all with your suggestions.

Sure enough, Costco had them in large 5 lb. containers. Exactly what I needed, since I needed 8 pounds worth! (If Costco had failed, I was hoping the vendors at the Dupont Circle farmers' market would be willing to negotiate selling the plums by the pound, rather than the container.)

I'd be happy to share the recipe in a future post. The original version is good and it has a special place in my heart - but I over the past few years I've considered it a work in progress as each year my mother and I work to perfect my great-aunt's recipe.

[saf]

(If Costco had failed, I was hoping the vendors at the Dupont Circle farmers' market would be willing to negotiate selling the plums by the pound, rather than the container.)

They usually will - I get LARGE amounts of fruit from Emily, at Black Rock Orchard for canning projects. She'll do pre-orders and decent bulk prices.