Damsons: An Ancient Fruit in the Modern Kitchen

A book with appeal to lovers of heritage fruits and historical recipes and cookery. This book places the damson in historical context, explaining the fruit’s cultural significance. History chapters grounded in archival research trace damson cultivation and use in the UK and the US. Chapters on damson ‘culture’ would include folklore, interviews with farmers and enthusiasts, and an ethnographic account of Damson Day in the Lyth Valley celebrated every Spring as the blossom heralds the arrival of warm weather. The recipe section offers a curated selection of recipes both new and historical (adapted for contemporary home cooks). Sarah Gothie became interested in damsons due to her own family history. Her great-grandmother’s ancestors emigrated to the US from England in the mid-1700s and her recipe for a damson spread (called ‘plum butter’) was passed down. Damsons are difficult to come by in the United States (unless you know someone with a backyard tree), so finding them in abundance in the Lake District was serendipity. As an academic, Gothie specializes in food studies, tourism studies, and museum studies.