My childhood home in San Mateo, California, had a large plum tree whose fruit was delicious and abundant. I never knew the name of the plum until I moved away and ate other plums, plums that just weren’t very good. When I was visiting my aunt and uncle in Washington, they had a plum tree and told me it was the same type at my house, a Santa Rosa.
I was so happy to know the type of plum, because I haven’t found any I like half as much. You won’t often find them in the large grocery stores, because they stock produce that is uniform in size, has a long shelf life, and can withstand handling from farm to table. The Santa Rosa is too delicate for that. But you might find it at small health stores or farmers’ markets.
The flesh of the plum is very sweet and juicy and the skin is tart, which makes for a stimulating contrast. The flesh is never mealy, and you will wipe the juice from your chin as it spills from your mouth. Whenever I’m in the store and see the Santa Rosa for sale, I introduce it to one other person, who is equally impressed, and stock up for home gorging.
So look for the Santa Rosa plum and plant one in your yard.
