Nothin' But Plums

I have been learning all about plums lately. Which ones are good for baking with (meaty, dry varieties like Italian Prune Plums). Which ones are better for making jams with (small tart varieties like Greengage and Damson). Which ones are best for just eating (probably the ones I bought). You get the picture. It's always a challenge to find just the right recipe, not only for the kind of fruit you have on your counter, but also what you're in the mood for. Just because I have a bunch of raspberries doesn't mean I'm in the mood to make Raspberries Macerated in Wine Mille Feuille with a Lemon Chantilly Cream, or indeed am even in the mood to eat it. O.k., so that was a bad example. (Sorry for the drool).

Right now I have plums. Dark purple-skinned large plums. And I still don't know the variety. So in my quest to use them, and enjoy them, before it's too late... here are links to some yummy-plummy delights, most of which (I just realized), would benefit from pairing with whipped cream, ice cream, créme fraiche, or Greek yogurt... go figure.

• Poached Whole Plums with Brown Sugar Syrup from TheKitchn. Wouldn't that be lovely in winter? If only.
• This tart recipe found on flicker looks fabulous. Satsuma Plum and Black Mission Fig Tart.
• Honey Roasted Plums with Fresh Thyme and Greek Yogurt. Does it get any better (or easier) than this recipe from JoyTheBaker?
  
• A quick refrigerator jam recipe at TheKitchn. Plum and Earl Grey Preserves. Of course, anything with Earl Grey is going to catch my eye.
• Sugar-Roasted Plums with Balsamic and Rosemary Syrup from Cooking Light. It's low-cal, sounds intriguing, and supposedly it's even better the next day.
• Something similar from across the pond. Plums and Blackberries in Rosemary Syrup at the BBC. Try it with other stone fruits or even other herbs, like lavender. Yum.

Did you know that there are no plums in plum pudding, and there never were? Sometimes now referred to as Christmas pudding, it contains raisins, which used to be called plums in 17th century England. Apparently there really are figs in figgy pudding... in case you were wondering.