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Taste By Greg Atkinson
How Sweet It IsThese plums are not your grandfather's prunes
DRIED PLUMS? Who are they trying to kid? Laugh all you want. But in 2000, when California prune growers hired Ketchum Public Relations to help improve their image, the agency recommended a name change to "dried plums" — and sales went up almost immediately. Even before any serious marketing attempt could be made to promote the new name, news leaked that the California Prune Board, now officially known as the California Dried Plum Board, had applied to the FDA for permission to change the name, and consumer interest flared. According to research by Ketchum, most people knew all along that prunes were dried plums, but felt they would be more likely to eat dried plums than prunes. What's more, say the folks at Ketchum, contemporary handling practices render dried, pitted plums softer, sweeter and better than they used to be. Personally, I never had any problem with the way they used to be. I like them poached with lemon and sugar for breakfast. I like them with a chunk of cheese and some nuts for a snack in lieu of lunch. And I like them the way they are served at bistros in France, soaked with brandy for dessert. I've had them transformed into Popsicles in Mexico, gelato in Italy and baked with chicken in New York. No matter how they're prepared, I like them. And it's a good thing I do, because prunes — er, dried plums — are good for me. They are high in antioxidants, fiber, potassium, vitamin A, copper, magnesium and iron. They're fat free, cholesterol free and sodium free. No wonder they've been prized for centuries as a health food. According to the history lesson on the Dried Plum Board Web site, prunes originated in Western Asia, found their way to Western Europe and came to California around the time of the Gold Rush. One Louis Pellier from the southwest corner of France came to California in 1850, secured land near Mission San Jose, then went back to France to fetch some cuttings. When he returned to California with his brother and a new wife, Pellier grafted the cuttings onto native California plum rootstock and launched the California prune industry. By 1887, prunes from California growers outstripped imported ones, which amounted to some 46,000 tons. The 20th century, though, was hard on prune growers. Labor shortages, over-supply, the Great Depression and World War II presented challenges in the first half of the century, and changing tastes affected demand during the later years. But all in all, the industry has done pretty well. Today, California dried plums constitute more than 90 percent of the U.S. supply and some 70 percent of the world supply. Greg Atkinson can be reached at greg@northwestessentials.com. Freelance photographer Barry Wong can be reached at studio@barrywongphoto.com.
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