Plummy goodness from the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers

During muggy weather like we’ve been having recently, there’s nothing I like to eat more than fruit. For breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It’s been exciting over the last couple of weeks to see all the Ontario fruits coming into season and it seems a fitting time to announce the third sponsor who is helping me get to IFBC this August – the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers.

Plums are one of my all time favourite fruits and they always remind me of my nana and her plum tree. We would spend countless summers helping her make her spectacular plum jam and then got to enjoy the fruits of her labour (no pun intended!) throughout the winter. Nana’s plum jam is still better than any I have ever tasted.

She also used to make fabulous plum cake and when I decided to blog about sweet Ontario plums, I was pleased to see a muffin recipe included in the media pack.  A whole cake can be a bit much for just two of us so muffins are a perfect compromise.

I love how the little chunks of plum look like rubies against the pale white batter…

The poppy seeds added a nice texture to the muffins and I also grated in about a tablespoon of lemon zest for added tang.

I have been wanting to try panna cotta for ages now, since my good friend Lynne made this one back at Easter. I was excited to see a similar version included in the plum recipe pack served with a plum coulis.  Since this was my first time making panna cotta, I was unsure that the amount of gelatin it called for was enough (uh, yeah, like I would know!) so I probably added a sprinkle more gelatin which made it just ever so slightly too firm but at least I know to trust the recipe next time…  Recipe follows with my notes in red.

One thing I love about the Tender Fruit Producers is that they try to include a fruit-based cocktail in each fruit’s recipe pack and I couldn’t go past one called Plum’ilicious, could I? I mean. it’s pink and fizzy – what more could you ask for?

I really enjoyed this and so did my partners in pink drinks, Melanie and Joelle (who were invited over to be my blue corn tortilla guinea pigs!). It was fruity without being overly sweet and much more interesting as a brunch drink than mimosas – and what a pretty colour!

I am proud my IFBC sponsors represent real foods and I am loving my role as a Tender Fruit ambassador – making and blogging about one of my favourite food groups –  What could be better?

50 thoughts on “Plummy goodness from the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers”

  1. All three of those recipes are wonderful. I must say, though it may be a bit too firm, your panna cotta looks totally amazing. The contrast between the creamy pudding and the plums is striking. The muffins looks totally tantalizing as well.

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  2. Wow, a trio of plum recipes! I think that plum beverage sounds unique and delicious and I bet my friends would love it too. 🙂 congrats on the sponsor!

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  3. Those are some beautiful plums! What a lovely mix of recipe you have given us to enjoy these summer fruits.

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  4. All the recipes look and sound lovely, but I have to admit, the picture of those perfect plums has me salivating the most. And red-fleshed ones are my favorite. (Hate it when I buy black plums and get surprised by yellow fruit inside.) These plums are my secret weapon in summer salads, too. Shrimp, tomato, avocado, onion and plum, with cilantro and some pickled jalapeno (which I’ll leave out of yours), yum.

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  5. Oh my, that’s a great looking panna cotta! I’ve never tried making a plum coulis before, but I love how that bright magenta colour makes the white panna cotta pop.
    (Actually, everything in this post looks too scrumptious for words, and I want to try all of it eventually… but the panna cotta is totally calling my name right now)

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  6. My grandmother makes an AMAZING plum jam. It doesn’t last 3 days in our fridge when she brings it over. I think I might have to come steal some from you so I can make her a batch of the poppyseed muffins (almost every baked treat or bread she makes has the tiny little buggers in there somewhere)

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  7. What a fabulous post about a gem of a fruit that does not get used enough in cooking and baking! I love the idea for the drink, I may have to make mine with pop though but still, fantastic idea and post Mardi!

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  8. I could live on fruit in the summertime. And plums are especially irresistible. I can’t decide which one of your plummy good dishes I like the best. But I must say the color of that apertif is just mesmerizing.

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  9. all of these look incredible. i love how vibrant the plums look in everything too!!! nature’s perfect jewelry (not that i’d mind a real ruby either!!) looks great. i’m sure you’re getting excited!!!

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  10. I’m so jealous of your sponsors! Not just because you get to go to IFBC, but because it’s all real food which is just so inspiring! My great grandma always made a plum cake that was delicious, but other than that I never really think about using plums in my cooking.

    All three recipes look fabulous but I’d kill for a glass of that last one right now.

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  11. Plums are a wonderful fruit to work with. I just finished some sliced plums with cardmom and honey syrup.

    The muffins look fantastic. If you are going to be down near Londonderry, NH let me know. I made wines from golden plums the last two years and would love to share some over plum muffins!

    Jason

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  12. Wow! Your photographs are such eye candy! Wouldn’t you know it: I’d been staring at 4 juicy, ripe plums, wondering what to do with them (aside from messily eating them over the sink). Now I have such delicious options . . . 😎

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  13. Mardi, thanks for these recipes. We’re still waiting for our plums here. They should be in soon, and I’ve bookmarked these two recipes for then. You’re a champ! Hugs to you and Himself…

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  14. Those muffins look delightful! I love the bright, pretty color of those plums… I just picked up a bunch of small plums (about the size of cherries) at the farmer’s market today. If there are any left after I make jam, I am going to make some of those muffins!

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  15. That is how fruit muffins should be! I have a rare muffin calling, usually around 3:30pm when I am caught between meetings or workplaces, completely devoid of any food and near a cafe. Always disappointing, with the superhyper overload of sugar, and pittance of fruit in whatever fruit muffin I’vefoolishly selected. I want chunks, dammit! Chunks like this!

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  16. I just took the plum muffins out of the oven. I added almond extract w/ the poppy seeds, they smell great!
    However, 425F was way too hot for baking in my oven, so I turned down the temp to 375F and they came out perfect after 20 minutes.
    Thanks for the recipe, will post back to you!

    Stacey Snacks

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    • Interesting – it’s been so long since I made these muffins that I can’t remember how they baked up. 425 does seem high but it sounds like you know your oven and adjusted accordingly!

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