Maison Roucadil Pitted Agen Prunes

For 130 years, Maison Roucadil has been growing and drying world-famous plums in Agen, France—a sunny region between Bordeaux and Toulouse. (This region is so well-known for its prunes that it received Protected Geographical Indication status in 2002.) Made from sweet and juicy Ente plums, Roucadil’s pitted prunes are bursting with rich, honeyed sweetness and just enough acidity to balance things out. The texture is equally impressive—jammy, fudgy and surprisingly juicy for dried fruit.

Even the appearance is noticeably different from dusty supermarket prunes: their wrinkled skins are shiny, not dull or waxy, and you can tell that the flesh underneath is still plump. (That’s thanks to owner Jean Roudil’s patented oven-drying ventilation system—a technique now wildly used across the prune industry.) These prunes are a great addition to both savory and sweet recipes—but with their candy-like sweetness and incredible texture, you may prefer to eat them straight from the bag.

Net Weight/Volume: 8.8 ounces (250 grams)
Ingredients: French Dried Plums
Place of Origin: Agen, France

How to Use: Store in a cool, dry place or the refrigerator to prolong freshness. Eat them plain or add to both savory and sweet recipes. Their intense sweet-tart flavor and juicy texture are great in our Borsch with Duck and Prunes or Chocolate, Prune and Rum Cake.

A Brief History of the Ente Plum
Ente plums have grown in the sunny Agen region of France since the 12th century. Egg-shaped with deep violet-red skins and juicy golden flesh, these fruits are prized for their almost syrupy sweetness; when dried, the flavor concentrates, becoming deeper, richer and more honeyed. Ente plums descended from Syrian Damas plums: During the Crusades, Damas plums were brought to France, where orchardists grafted them onto existing fruit trees. That explains the name:“Ente” is from the Old French verb “enter,” or “to graft.”