Plums

Right now, plums are available from Good Food, Good People, a collection of farms with CSA shares.  They have a wide selection of organic produce to choose from, but please be aware that they also sell meat.  You can find out more information about their operation at goodfoodgoodpeople.net.

They currently have stands at the following farmers' markets:

• Grandin Village Market (Saturdays, 8:00am-12:00pm)
• West End Market (Tuesdays, 3:00pm-6:00pm)
• Greenbrier Nursery Market (Thursdays, 2:00pm-7:00pm; Saturdays, 10:00am-3:00pm)
• Carilion Roanoke Memorial Farmers' Table (Thursdays, 2:00pm-6:00pm)

One drawback to buying local produce is that I am not sure how much longer plums will be available.  However, as of today (Sept. 2), they are still on sale at the West End Market, located at the Freedom First Credit Union on Patterson Avenue.  

I purchased some last week at the Grandin Village Market.  Plums are good by themselves, but they also make really great pies.  Plum pies are also easy to make vegan.  I made a no-rolling-pin pie crust with canola oil.  You could also use a store-bought crust.  The filling is about a pound and a half of plums, half cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of flour, a little bit cinnamon, and some lemon juice.  

 

Then, I topped it with a streusel topping of sugar, flour, walnuts, cinnamon, and coconut oil.  Delicious.

*A little baking tip I just learned:  For thickeners like cornstarch to activate, they have to reach a boiling point, so make sure it bubbles before you take it out.  If you ever have a runny fruit pie, it probably didn't get hot enough and needs to bake longer.