Easy Stewed Damson Plums

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Combine sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a large pot over high heat. Boil for 3 minutes or until mixture is syrupy.

3. Add plums to the syrup and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer the plums for about 10 minutes, or until quite tender.

More About the Damson Fruit

The damson plum is just one of many types of plums. Damson plums are mostly grown in the United Kingdom as well as a few California orchards and harvested in the late summer and fall. They are high in sugar and, at the same time, somewhat bitter and are an especially good plum variety for jams and preserves.

The fruit is small in size, a bit larger than a cherry, and the skin of the damson plum ranges from a dark blue to near-black. The flesh is somewhat dry and minimal compared to the seed. Since most damson plums are "clingstone," it might be difficult to separate the stone from the fruit. If the pits are very stubborn, you can stew them whole with the pits left in. 

There is a yellowish-white variety but it is not as common as the purple. The overly tart taste makes these plums ideal for cooking along with a significant amount of sugar versus eating raw out of hand. The flesh is too dry and sour to enjoy uncooked.

A Little Background on Damson Plums

Damson plums actually have a long history, said to have originated in the city of Damascus, where the plum got its name. When the Roman Empire spread, the plum became a currency of trade, especially in Britain, where the fruit is grown today. Until World War II, damson jam and damson cheese (a fruit paste that is commonly served with cheese) were found on the tables in most British households as the fruit was produced commercially—for both eating and as a dye. Because of its deep blue color, the skins were used to dye military uniforms, pottery, and carpets. After the war, however, the plum fell out of favor until more recently when it has reemerged as a fashionable fruit.