The varietal grown in California, which produces 40 percent of the global supply of prunes, is descended from the petit d’Agen, a French plum widely regarded as one of the best for making prunes. Unfortunately, despite nearly two decades of marketing, dried plums never gained traction in the way the board wanted them to, and in 2019 the board reverted back to its original moniker.Īs it happens, the plums grown for prunes are not the plums you find on supermarket shelves they’re a type grown specifically for drying. In 2001, California Prunes rebranded to California Dried Plums in the hopes of reminding consumers of the prune’s origins as the far less maligned plum. Instead, she explains, “prunes have always had an awareness problem.” Which is to say, people often forget about them altogether. But Kiaran Locy, the California Prune Board’s director of brand and industry communications, says that’s not as much of a hurdle as you might imagine. I theorized that the prune’s reputation was perhaps being undone by its association with stubborn bowels. So what’s the issue, then? Why have the likes of kale and cauliflower, lauded for their health benefits, each managed to secure a place of honor in our current food landscape, while the prune - high in fiber, antioxidants, and bone-supportive nutrients like boron, potassium, and vitamin K - lingers humbly under our radar? Goldilocks would be thrilled with prunes. They’re not too sweet, not too sour, not too sticky, and not too dry. They have a subtle sweetness tempered by a rich, earthy tang and a gorgeous jammy texture. Because prunes, it turns out, are incredibly tasty. But unlike basically every other food I’ve started eating for health reasons, I didn’t stop. Prunes, I am here to tell you, deserve a makeover.Īdmittedly, when I first introduced prunes into my daily eating habits, I did so because I was taking iron supplements, which have a notorious reputation for causing constipation. They hold so much potential, and we’re squandering it. Forget dates, or raisins, or dried cranberries: Given the choice, I will always take a prune. Because prunes are, without a doubt, actually the best of the dried fruits. But I won’t stand for it a moment longer. Even their mere mention is guaranteed to turn up many a wrinkled nose. For too long, prunes have been relegated to the health food aisle, paraded out only as a solution to immovable bowels.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |