When I was a child, growing up in the wilds of North Wales, we had a Welsh cat with 6 toes. He was a ginger tom and one of the memories I have from this time is of him trying to catch my feet as I picked damsons. He scratched! But it was worth it. I loved damsons then and I love them now. Small, sour, dark plums that they are, they have so much flavour and colour – and I still count the pips when we make a tart. Here in the Lakes, we are known for damsons and they grow well, which is a bonus. We planted our own in the garden earlier this year so I have high hopes of bumper crops in years to come.
Something I have been playing with for a while is the idea of ‘lattice-style’ glass bowls and over the past week or so, I have been putting these together with fruit and leaves. I’ve learned how I like to form them (not from the centre, curiously, which would be the most natural starting point. For me, this doesn’t work. I’m an edge person) and am beginning to learn what shapes and colours work for me (not chanterelles!!). The two most successful thus far have been strawberries – and damsons, both of which I’m very happy with.