I've always enjoyed prunes in various forms since I was a kid, long before
it became fashionable to like dried plums and before food writers
started telling us about all of the health benefits.
So,
which country produces the best prunes? Of course, America is
responsible for 70% of the worldwide production and they are very good;
however, in the blind taste test I did with some fellow writers
recently, the French Agen prunes won easily. The richer, fuller flavour
of the Agen prunes convinced even people who don't normally eat them to
include them in their diet.
The
plum variety grown in the Agen area is called Prunier d'Ente which
originates from plum trees brought back from Damascus around 1150, by
returning crusaders. These were first grown by the monks at Clairac Abby
who later grafted on local plums to create the new variety called Ente.
The name comes from the Old French verb "enter", which means "graft".
The
monks were also the first to realise that the fruit can be kept for a
year after being dried in the sun. Thus Pruneau d'Agen should properly
be called Pruneau of Clairac! Even today this same variety is still
prized because it has the right balance of sugar/acidity, and the
strength of skin allows them to be dried without splitting and to be
preserved without additives.
Most
prunes are freestone cultivars (the pit is easy to remove), whereas
most other plums grown for fresh consumption are clingstone (the pit is
more difficult to remove).
In
France, Agen prunes are held in the same high regard as foie gras and
Armagnac. They are sought after by connoisseurs around the world and
they even have their own museum.
However,
in America this noble dried fruit has an image problem; so much so that
California growers got permission in 2001 from the government to
re-label them as dried plums to help raise sales domestically.
The
quality of Agen prunes is reflected in the method the farmers use to
collect the plums, using specially equipped tractors that shake the
trees so only the ripe fruit falls onto the umbrella type mats that are
attached to the machines . Because of this collection method, the
harvesting takes a month to complete so fruit is at the peak of ripeness
when taken.
Originally,
the prunes were dried in the sun, but then monks found that drying them
in a bread oven at low temperatures gave better results. By the middle
ages plum farmers
used
similar methods and would heat their ovens using bundles of brambles
and Hawthorn, which would be swept out before the plums were put into
the oven to dry.
Today
the prunes are washed, sorted by size and then placed onto drying racks
in single layers. It takes about three pounds of plums to make one of
the prunes. The racks are placed on a tall trolley and wheeled into the
drying tunnels (ovens) for 20-24 hours, reaching a temperature of 75 C.
They are then re-sorted and any broken prunes are used to make prune
brandy which the French call eau-de-vie.
Before
the prunes are sold, they are partly re-hydrated and plumped in steam
or dipped into a vat of water, to bring the moisture content to a
maximum of 35 percent. There are 46 grades of size and quality for Agen
prunes, with the largest yielding about 30 to a pound, about the same as
a California extra-large.
The Health Benefits
Prunes
are high in fibre (40mg per 100g) and good for the digestion. They are
also an excellent natural aid to slimming because the high fibre content
helps to sate the appetite and therefore they make a great healthy
snack between meals.
Prunes
are a good source of potassium, an electrolyte that assists in a
variety of vital bodily functions. This mineral helps with digestion,
heart rhythm, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions, as well as blood
pressure. This can help fight hypertension and decrease the risk of
strokes and cardiovascular disease. Since the body doesn't naturally
produce potassium, consuming prunes can help you avoid deficiencies.
They
are also a rich source of iron to help prevent anaemia, which occurs
when the body doesn't have sufficient healthy red blood cells.
Shortness of breath, irritability, and fatigue are all signs of mild
anaemia and an iron deficiency.
Prunes
also contain magnesium which naturally helps fight stress and anxiety,
so are highly recommended for students and people in stressful jobs.
According to studies, dried prunes are an important source of the
mineral Boron which can help build strong bones and muscles.
The Prune Museum
The
first specialised prune drying oven was built around 1850 and you can
see fascinating examples of these early ovens and how the process
evolved at the prune museum which is located on a picturesque bend in
the river at Lafitte-sur-Lot in south-western France.
Besides
offering interesting insights into the history of prune making, this is
also a working farm which continues to harvest plums each year.
We
enjoyed exploring the rooms of the museum and we were each given a
guide, printed in English to help us to understand the exhibits. Then we
browsed around the gift shop and its many different snacks, candies and
drinks that can be made from just one fruit.
Before
our tasting which is part of the tour we were invited to watch a short
film about how the plums are harvested, dried and the many delicious
handmade items they also make at the farm.
The
tasting sealed the deal, particularly the addictive prunes smothered in
quality dark chocolate! Of course, we bought various delicious
souvenirs to take home with us.
The Prune Show August 26th-28th
To celebrate the plum harvest Agen has hosted The Prune Show since 2005.
This
three-day event takes place in late August and is well worth checking
out if you plan to be in France around that time. The whole town
gathers and celebrates this long weekend of partying with a series of
free concerts, street entertainers and fruit tastings to celebrate the
importance of this noble fruit.
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