Oude Quetsche Tilquin à l'Ancienne (Prunes de Namur): Difference between revisions
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
Reportedly a direct descendant of the regular damson prune, or quetsche, the Prune de Namur was originally cultivated in Ancient Syria, and is believed to have been brought to Europe as early as the 1st Century. It isn't, however, until the 12th Century, at the time of the 2nd Crusade, that Namur plum trees are grouped into orchards and cultivated exclusively for their fruit.<ref name=PrunesDeNamur> Maredret, [http://www.maredret.be/patrimoine/patrimoinenaturel/ete/prunedenamur/prunedenamur.htm La mémoire de notre village, Prune de Namur, ]</ref> | Reportedly a direct descendant of the regular damson prune, or quetsche, the Prune de Namur was originally cultivated in Ancient Syria, and is believed to have been brought to Europe as early as the 1st Century. It isn't, however, until the 12th Century, at the time of the 2nd Crusade, that Namur plum trees are grouped into orchards and cultivated exclusively for their fruit.<ref name=PrunesDeNamur> Maredret, [http://www.maredret.be/patrimoine/patrimoinenaturel/ete/prunedenamur/prunedenamur.htm La mémoire de notre village, Prune de Namur, ]</ref> | ||
The plateaux and hillsides of Condroz and l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse soon become preferential for the Namur plum tree, where the altitude, climate and soil composition are favorable for its growth. At maturity, the quetschier will produce between 25 and | The plateaux and hillsides of Condroz and l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse soon become preferential for the Namur plum tree, where the altitude, climate and soil composition are favorable for its growth. At maturity, the quetschier will produce between 25 kg and 50 kg of fruit per year, which is quite abundant. Visually, the plum itself is slightly smaller than a regular quetsche. | ||
Gustatorily, the Namur plum also differs from the regular quetsche only slightly. According to Pierre Tilquin, the Quetsche véritable is more sweet, while the Prune de Namur is more sour. Pierre Tilquin described the differences between the two plum varieties in a post on Facebook: "They are very close, but the Quetsche véritable d'Alsace is a little bit more sweet than the Prune de Namur, which is a little bit more sour. The Prune de Namur is also a little bit smaller than the Quetsche véritable d'Alsace".<ref name=TilquinPlumVarities> Facebook, [[media:TilquinPlumVarities-FB.png|Quetsche Tilquin - batches 2014-2015 in progress]], September 11, 2014</ref> | Gustatorily, the Namur plum also differs from the regular quetsche only slightly. According to Pierre Tilquin, the Quetsche véritable is more sweet, while the Prune de Namur is more sour. Pierre Tilquin described the differences between the two plum varieties in a post on Facebook: "They are very close, but the Quetsche véritable d'Alsace is a little bit more sweet than the Prune de Namur, which is a little bit more sour. The Prune de Namur is also a little bit smaller than the Quetsche véritable d'Alsace".<ref name=TilquinPlumVarities> Facebook, [[media:TilquinPlumVarities-FB.png|Quetsche Tilquin - batches 2014-2015 in progress]], September 11, 2014</ref> | ||