Plum Picking Day

It was time, time to go out and pick plums. There were a growing number of plums falling off the tree and creating a carpet of purple balls. I was remembering as I was doing the picking of two years ago in May, an early year for the plums and Melanie was outside helping me pick plums, whle Mei-Ling was just one month old. How time flies. Mei-Ling called me on the phone yesterday while her mommy was doing housework and since I was outside, she left me a voicemail, all on her own.

We made plum jam that year, lots of it...I will make some today too and perhaps a nice plum charlotte from a favorite old cookbook of mine.

Plum Charlotte

6 oz fresh white breadcrumbs

2 oz butter

1 1/2 lbs ripe plums, halved and stones

4 oz brown sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon

Using a shallow baking dish, brush the bottom and sides with butter. Cover the bottom with some of the breadcrumbs. Put a layer of plums in the dish, sprinkle with some of the sugar and a little of the lemon rind and juice. Dot with more butter. Continue these layers until all the ingredients have been used. Finishing with a layer of breadcrumbs and dotting with butter. Pour the orange juice over this. Bake in a 375 oven for 40-45 minutes or until the charlotte feels tender and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Serves approx 4

From the cookbook... "English Desserts, Puddings, Cakes and Scones"
by Norma and Gordon Latimer