plums (known in France as pruneaux) are made from fresh fruit which has been slowly and carefully dejirived of its moisture, by being: placed alternately in the sunshine and in an oven. These plums are the object of a con- siderable trade in different parts of France, particularly in the Touraine and the Agenois. They are exported in large quantities to other coiintries, and are considered exceedingly whole- some. They may be had aU the year round, but they are mostly used for dessert in winter time, when fresh fruit cannot be obtaimed. They may be bought either loose, in bottles, or in pretty ornamental boxes which are intended ta be placed upon the table. Probable cost, Is. to 2s. i^er pound. Plums, French, Stewed for Dessert. — Take a pound of French plums. Put them into a saucepan with as much boiling water as. will cover them, and let them simmer gently for an hour. Lift out the fruit, strain the liquid, and make a sjmip of it by boiling with it fom* ounces of loaf sugar. ^Vhen it is quite clear, put in the plvuns, the rind and juice of half a lemon, and a glass of port✪ Stewed French Plums. Stew gently for an hour and a half. When the preparation is cold, put the plums into a glass dish, pour the syrup over them, and serve. Time, two hours and a half. Probable cost, Is. 6d. Sufficient for five or six persons. Plums, French, Stewed (another way). — Sec French Plums, Stewed. Plums in Vinegar. — Take three pounds of mussel plums, soimd and ripe, and rub them with a soft cloth. Boil a pound of loaf sugar- in a pint and a half of vinegar, with a dozen cloves, and a quarter of an ounce of stick cin- namon. Put in the plums, a few at a time, and let them simmer gently. As the skins crack, lift them carefully out, and put them on dishes to cool. When they are cold lay them in a deep jar, and shake them to make them lie closely together. They ought not to be at aH soft. Boil the vinegar and sugar a few minutes longer, then pour it out, and when it is cold strain it over the plvmis, which it ought to cover entireh'. Leave the jar in a cool place for a week. At the end of that time strain off the s\Tup and boil it. If the plums are hard, pour the sjTup hot over them, if soft, let it get cold PLU ( 592 ) PLTJ first. Cover the jars in the usual way, and store in a cool place. If liked, half a pint of claret may be put with each pint of vinegar. Time, eight days. Probable cost, 2s. Plums, Magnum Bonum {see Magnum Eonums). 1. Yellow Magnum IBonum. 2. Golden Drop. 3. Greengage. Plums, Magnum Bonum, Pre- SGrved. — Magnum bonum and other tine plums may be boiled into a jam in the usual way, or preserved whole like apricots, or as follows :— Take fine ripe, sound fruit. Pare them, and in order to do this more easily throw them into boiling water for a minute. If they are not fully ripe, they -^^-ill need to simmer gently for two or three minutes. Take a pound of sugar to each pound of frxiit. Dissolve in a little water, skim carefully, and boil until it is almost candy height. Throw in the plums, and let them boil gently for a quarter of an hour. Lift them out carefully, strain the sjTup over them, and let them lie for two days. Boil them again until they look quite clear, put them into jars, cover with the syrup, tie the jars up, and store in a cool, dry place. Time, three days.

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plums (known in France as pruneaux) are made from fresh fruit which has been slowly and carefully dejirived of its moisture, by being: placed alternately in the sunshine and in an oven. These plums are the object of a con- siderable trade in different parts of France, particularly in the Touraine and the Agenois. They are exported in large quantities to other coiintries, and are considered exceedingly whole- some. They may be had aU the year round, but they are mostly used for dessert in winter time, when fresh fruit cannot be obtaimed. They may be bought either loose, in bottles, or in pretty ornamental boxes which are intended ta be placed upon the table. Probable cost, Is. to 2s. i^er pound. Plums, French, Stewed for Dessert. — Take a pound of French plums. Put them into a saucepan with as much boiling water as. will cover them, and let them simmer gently for an hour. Lift out the fruit, strain the liquid, and make a sjmip of it by boiling with it fom* ounces of loaf sugar. ^Vhen it is quite clear, put in the plvuns, the rind and juice of half a lemon, and a glass of port. Stew gently for an hour and a half. When the preparation is cold, put the plums into a glass dish, pour the syrup over them, and serve. Time, two hours and a half. Probable cost, Is. 6d. Sufficient for five or six persons. Plums, French, Stewed (another way). — Sec French Plums, Stewed. Plums in Vinegar. — Take three pounds of mussel plums, soimd and ripe, and rub them with a soft cloth. Boil a pound of loaf sugar- in a pint and a half of vinegar, with a dozen cloves, and a quarter of an ounce of stick cin- namon. Put in the plums, a few at a time, and let them simmer gently. As the skins crack, lift them carefully out, and put them on dishes to cool. When they are cold lay them in a deep jar, and shake them to make them lie closely together. They ought not to be at aH soft. Boil the vinegar and sugar a few minutes longer, then pour it out, and when it is cold strain it over the plvmis, which it ought to cover entireh'. Leave the jar in a cool place for a week. At the end of that time strain off the s\Tup and boil it. If the plums are hard, pour the sjTup hot over them, if soft, let it get cold PLU ( 592 ) PLTJ first. Cover the jars in the usual way, and store in a cool place. If liked, half a pint of claret may be put with each pint of vinegar. Time, eight days. Probable cost, 2s. Plums, Magnum Bonum {see Magnum Eonums). 1. Yellow Magnum IBonum. 2. Golden Drop. 3. Greengage. Plums, Magnum Bonum, Pre- SGrved. — Magnum bonum and other tine plums may be boiled into a jam in the usual way, or preserved whole like apricots, or as follows :— Take fine ripe, sound fruit. Pare them, and in order to do this more easily throw them into boiling water for a minute. If they are not fully ripe, they -^^-ill need to simmer gently for two or three minutes. Take a pound of sugar to each pound of frxiit. Dissolve in a little water, skim carefully, and boil until it is almost candy height. Throw in the plums, and let them boil gently for a quarter of an hour. Lift them out carefully, strain the sjTup over them, and let them lie for two days. Boil them again until they look quite clear, put them into jars, cover with the syrup, tie the jars up, and store in a cool, dry place. Time, three days.

Cassell's dictionary of cookery