Sour Phruit

Watching the World Series gives me a sour taste in my mouth since the Phillies aren't playing.  So I figured I'd write a little bit about a sour fruit.

Damsons are a tiny fruit related to the plum that originated in Syria.  As the Roman Empire spread into England, the fruits also made their way into Great Britain.  It used to be that they were only found in the wild, but they are now commercially grown.

They're too sour to eat out of hand, but sweetening them by poaching or making into jams makes them palatable--although still very tart.  Damsons are used to make gin, wine and beer in England as well as slivovitz, a distilled spirit made in Slavic countries.

So at least until the end of the Series, damsons are the official phruit of the Phillies.  A nice big glass of slivovitz ought to help me get through it.