Plum memories

 

John picked a bowl from our tree yesterday, and our neighbor brought over a bag. So we suddenly have a nice bounty.  Maybe jam?

And John wants a plum kuchen.

Impressive looking, but easy to make with a butter and egg batter, flavored with almond extract and grated orange peel. A nice combination and looks pretty in a tart pan. You slice the raw plums on top of the batter before baking and sprinkle with powdered sugar afterwards. They get soft and juicy as the cake rises up around them. Fresh fruit cake doesn't keep, but no problem to eat fast!

Plum cake always reminds me of the year we spent in Germany in the late 1970's. Our elderly neighbors made a treat each morning for their Kaffetrinken. They used whatever summer fruit was in season, and in the winter canned or frozen. These people survived depressions and two world wars, so nothing from the garden was wasted. Not a single string bean.

Amanda was the only baby on the street, and being Americans, our extravagant and strange habits were closely watched. I did odd things, like hang laundry out on Wednesday afternoon instead of Monday morning!

After the morning chores were done (which everyone did at the same times, on the same days) I was often invited over for coffee. Even in old age, they were hard working people, but there was a break in the late morning for gossip, coffee and fresh cake. They're long gone now, but I have vivid memories of those kind neighbors on Contwigerhangstrasse in Zweibrücken.