It feels like switching seasons in my closet, storing away all summer clothes to make space for heavy winter items. It might sound like the most normal thing during this time of the year, only this time that’s what’s going on in my kitchen. I’m cooking non-stop, making use of all summer fruits and veggies while they’re still here and getting ready to start fresh with autumn recipes and seasonal ingredients.

It really is just like switching wardrobes, when summer and winter clothes are scattered everywhere in a room that looks very, very messy. It’s only after every piece of our summer wardrobe is stored away and everything is nicely organized that we can finally relax and enjoy a beautiful, tidy space. This chaos describes my kitchen pretty accurately at the moment; a complete and utter mess!

I’m constantly wobbling between summer tomatoes and autumn pumpkins, fresh vivid green broccolis, apples, beetroots, persimmons, a few late but delicious strawberries, plums.. By the way, since these are our last plums before they’re gone, I need to make something special with them, asap.

Plum is probably the fruit I ate the most as a kid, although as it turns out, according to an allergy test I did a few years ago, I’m allergic to it! How ironic! Here’s where we insert a crying face emoji. I never paid too much attention to this allergy test and obviously continue to casually consume plums. My instinct tells me they’re not the ones responsible for my chronic conjunctivitis.

Plums were definitely the fruit of my childhood. My grandfather used to have many different varieties of plum trees in his orchard. I knew each and every one of those trees, as well as their blossom and harvest time. I’d climb up the trees in search of the perfect plum or just wait for mature fruits to fall to the ground, like the proper fruit picker I was. I obviously loved them, although, to be honest, I can’t really think of a fruit I don’t like.

Plums are the absolute star of the show each time they’re in season. Perhaps we appreciate them a bit more, since they’re plums from our own plum trees. It somehow becomes a lot more personal when you see firsthand these trees grow, produce fruits, strive and thrive through hard winters and hot summers..

As you’ve probably guessed by now, we have plenty of plum trees in our mountain orchard. Governor’s plums are the first to ripen each year at the beginning of summer and definitely the most delicious ones, by all accounts. A bit later on we get the rest of our plums that last until mid-autumn but can easily be stored in the refrigerator, so we get to enjoy them for a little longer.

I absolutely love using plums in my cooking. They pair perfectly with roasts and make for a delicious sweet-and-sour filling for a Christmas turkey or pork roast. I always like to make plum jam too, and a lot of it, as there’s no such thing as too much plum jam in this household! It’s our go-to for a winter breakfast and adds some extra flavour to our yogurt bowls.

The taste and texture of this cake is unparalleled. For starters, it’s not just a cake, it’s a cake baked in a tart pan. I usually make this recipe with apples but thought plums could probably work just as well. As it turns out, it’s even better! The sweet-and-sour flavour of plums and the almond-y and super crispy tart crust are a match made in heaven. Trust me, it’s so delicious, you’ll find it impossible to resist!