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Szatmár plums – The plum mostly referred to as “Dunno”

16.05.2022 09:59

Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg region Taste of the region

There are more than two thousand plum varieties in the world, including more acidic, sweeter, softer and harder types alike but almost everyone agrees that Szatmár plums contain exactly as much of everything as is necessary for the finest variety. Like other fruits, these plums, which combine sweet and sour flavours so perfectly, owe their characteristics to the soil, in this case the soil formed from the deposits of the Kraszna, Szamos, Tisza and Túr rivers, and the local microclimate. Szatmár plum pálinka, the special Hungarian product (or Hungaricum) made from the fruit, enjoys geographical protection: the base material may only come from the production areas of the 64 villages of Szatmár and Bereg regions.

The production of Szatmár plum jam, just like that of pálinka, is regulated by strict rules and it requires quite a lot of work. The emphasis here is on the ingredients: Szatmár plum jam may only be made from Szatmár plums; if combined with other varieties, the final result will be far from appropriate and it is also important that only freshly picked fruits should be put in the cauldron. In the settlements of Szatmár, family members, relatives and neighbours join forces to cook this sweet, thick mass of inimitable flavours, traditionally made in copper cauldrons over wood fire, continuously stirred for about 20 hours in late summer and early autumn.

After sorting, when cooking starts, a part of the fruits is usually squeezed to release the juice, thus preventing the fruit from burning at the bottom of the cauldron. Then they add the rest of the plums and start stirring. When the fruits have softened and shrunk, the finished precooking material is removed and more fruit is thrown into the cauldron until they receive the right amount of mass for the jam. This is followed by thickening with the help of a mixing paddle, which lasts for long hours, but the result achieved through the hard work is worth all the time. The thick jam of dark brown or almost black colour is completely free of any preservatives, added sugar or additives and it can still be stored for several months or even years and, just like good wine, it will stun its consumer with deeper and more characteristic flavours as time goes on. The finest jams and dried fruit products made from Szatmár plums of the area are produced in Panyola. The enterprise called Panyolium was founded by a young couple, whose main priorities are traditions, the love of nature and, of course, fruits. From jams to dried fruits to granolas, all their products contain sweet Szatmár plums, apples and Bereg pears.