Reine Claude Greengage Plums
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Reine Claude — the greengage — is a plum variety named after Claude of France, wife of Francis I, in the early 16th century. The English name "greengage" arrived later: Sir William Gage is credited with bringing the variety from France to his estate in Suffolk in the 1720s, and his name stuck. The two names refer to the same group of plums — small, round, green to golden-green, and sweeter than almost any other plum you will encounter.
What distinguishes a greengage from a standard plum is the sugar content. A ripe Reine Claude is extraordinarily sweet — sometimes exceeding 20° Brix, which puts it in the range of a dessert grape — with very little of the sharp, acidic bite that most plums carry. The flesh is dense, fine-grained, and tender without being watery, and it has a honeyed, almost floral quality that is unlike any other stone fruit. There is no comparison with a supermarket plum. People who have eaten a ripe greengage tend to remember it specifically.
The natural cracking and russeting that develops on the skin of a fully ripe greengage is not damage — it is a sign that the fruit has reached maximum sugar concentration. As the sugar content rises, the flesh expands and the skin, which cannot stretch to match, develops fine cracks that heal over with a rough, russeted texture. The same thing happens to very ripe figs. A smooth, unblemished greengage may look better in a photograph, but a cracked, russeted one is likely sweeter.
These are climacteric — they continue to ripen after harvest. If they arrive firm, leave at room temperature for a day or two until they give under gentle pressure. Eat at room temperature for the fullest flavour. They also make exceptional jam and tarts, where the high sugar content means you need less added sugar than with any other plum variety.
Origin: France
Ingredients: Reine Claude greengage plums (Prunus domestica subsp. italica).
Storage: Ripen at room temperature. Eat within a few days of ripening.