The sweet surprise made famous in the classic nursery rhyme “Little Jack Horner” is back in season! Whether eaten fresh, baked or jammed, plums are a tasty addition to your summertime table. Plum juice appeals to a variety of palates, too, thanks to a flavor that ranges from sweet to tart. It can even be fermented into plum wine!

SELECTION AND STORAGE

When selecting plums from your local PlacerGROWN farmers’ market, choose fruits with a rich color and a slight whitish bloom, indicating that they haven’t been handled excessively. Plums are ready to eat when they yield to gentle pressure and are slightly soft at their tip. For storing not yet ripe plums, leave them at room temperature. Keep in mind: This fruit tends to mature quickly, so be sure to check on them often. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. If you would like to store them in the freezer for a longer shelf life, remove their stone pits.

DID YOU KNOW?

These round, oval and sometimes heart-shaped fruits are extremely high in potassium (113 milligrams per medium-sized plum), which can lower blood pressure. Plums can also help maintain a low glycemic index score and deter unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels—all while remaining sweet to the taste—making them the perfect fruit for those with type 2 diabetes. Drying plums into prunes is another beneficial option. With a chewy texture and high fiber content—which influences gastrointestinal regularity and provides protection that can decrease the risk of colon cancer and hemorrhoids—prunes are rich in antioxidants; eating three to four a day may neutralize cell-damaging free radicals that affect memory.

— Carol Arnold

For details on where to buy Placer County farm-fresh produce, wine, meat and other products, visit placergrown.org and foothillfarmersmarket.com.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Honeyed Plums with Vanilla Bean and Yogurt

Recipe by Courtney McDonald

• 2 lbs. very ripe plums
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup local honey
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup plain or French vanilla whole milk yogurt

Wash the plums. Cutting around the pit, cut the plums into large chunks and place in a medium mixing bowl. Scrape the pulp from the vanilla bean and add the vanilla pulp, along with the scraped pod to the plums, the honey and the pinch of salt; let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. To serve, divide the plums evenly among 6 serving bowls and top with a generous spoonful of yogurt. Serves 6.