Plum Kuchen by Fruitful~Four Seasons of Fresh Fruit Recipes

 

Fruitful is a trip to the local orchard, overflowing with ripe, seasonal produce—and it’s not just desserts! From sweet to savory, including fresh juices, every chapter is devoted to the produce of the moment: rhubarb, strawberries, apples, plums, apricots, peaches, quinces, pears, and more. This delectable cookbook showcases the bounty from New York’s favorite orchard, illustrated with gorgeous full-color photography throughout—but all of the fruit can be found wherever you live.


Pies and cobblers are only the beginning of four seasons of recipes celebrating fruit: Strawberry-Black Pepper Granita, Spicy Roast Chicken with Rhubarb Chutney, Scallop and Blueberry Ceviche, Grilled Peach, Shrimp, and Prosciutto Skewers, and Rustic Apricot and Raspberry Crostada offer a taste of the juicy dishes inside. And twenty-five recipes will come from fruit-loving chefs who count themselves among Red Jacket’s devoted customers: a few of the contributors include Dan Barber, Jonathan Waxman, Karen DeMasco, and Melissa Clark.

Whether it’s a bushel of peaches or a bundle of rhubarb, you’ll find plenty to dish up here.  I tried several dishes and they're all delicious, especially this Plum Kuchen!



 

Ingredients are as follows: 

3 C plums, sliced (I only used about 1 1/2 C)
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C flour
1/4 C plus 2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of sea salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into cubes and divided into 2 Tbsp. & 4 Tbsp.
1/4 C milk
1 egg



Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; lightly grease a 9" square baking pan.

Place the plums in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Place 4 Tbsp. of butter on top; set aside.

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Cut in the 2 Tbsp. of cold butter so it resembles tiny crumbs.

Whisk in the milk and egg.

Spoon the batter onto the prepared plums.

Bake for 20-25 minutes; until golden brown around the edges.

Cool slightly before slicing (I flipped mine upside down before serving)...enjoy!

Fruitful is truly a unique book; one look and you'll know this is not your ordinary cookbook.  The cover is simply beautiful and I like how it's broken down into seasons; you never have to wonder what fruit is the best to use during that time of year.  Plus it tells you how to select the fruit, growing tips, and how to store it.  You can choose from sweet or savory recipes as well as juices, jams and jellies.  This book is full of wonderful recipes and beautiful pictures for you to enjoy!


Brian Nicholson returned to the family business at Red Jacket in 1995 after graduating from Cornell University. He and Red Jacket participate in CSAs across New York state, have partnered with Healthy Bodega Initiative, and have been awarded the Slow Food Snail Quality of Approval. Brian lives in Geneva, New York.

Sarah Huck spent five happy summers spent hawking fruit for Red Jacket Orchards and other farmers at the New York City Greenmarket. She is the author of Campfire Cookery: Adventuresome Recipes and Other Curiosities for the Great Outdoors, and has spent the past six years as the assistant and recipe tester to Melissa Clark, assisting her on more than a dozen cookbooks. Sarah currently works with a range of clients including marthastewart.com, Cookstr.com, Epicurious.com, and Consumer Report publications. She lives in Brooklyn.

Please note: I received a complimentary book and was not paid to do a review, all the opinions expressed are my own.  This post does contain affiliate links.