Tis the Season for This Crumble—If You Can Find Plums

In fall, that means one thing: plump and juicy Italian prune plums, which start ripening in August and if we’re lucky, are available through most of September.

I love them for their flavor—a high sugar level makes the flesh incredibly sweet and jammy when cooked. But unlike clingstone fruits such as peaches, which never seem to want to come apart without a struggle, plums are easy to cut and quarter thanks to their freestone pits.

My challenge this year has been finding the deep-purple, egg-shaped fruit at local markets. I either get to farm stands after the plums have sold out, or the farmers don’t have them at all. If I was a classic cartoon, you’d see steam coming out of my ears! If hardy garden mums are now front and center in market displays, how much longer is stone fruit season?

Thankfully I found a one-pint box of Italian plums over Labor Day weekend tucked among containers of pears and apples at Zacherl’s Farm & Market, a favorite stand in Shippenville, Clarion County.

“Get them now,” the saleswoman urged me when I pondered whether to buy on a Saturday since I wouldn’t be headed home until Monday. “They’ll be gone in an hour.”

I took her advice, and on Tuesday, I made this crumble. Anticipation was such that when it came out of the oven, I couldn’t wait for it to cool and scooped it into a bowl, piping hot.

When buying plums, look for fruit that feels slightly soft but not mushy. Avoid any with deep brown skin blemishes. Don’t worry if it’s covered in a whitish, cloudy bloom—that’s a natural protective barrier that helps keep bugs at bay and the fruit from drying out.

A quick rinse under cool water is all you need to clean them. Pat dry with a clean paper towel.

To make the crumble a crisp, add old-fashioned rolled oats.

Recipe by Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette