In Praise of Prunes

This past year I developed a fondness for stewed prunes—though admitting that fact in public makes me feel like a geriatric. Here comes David Lebovitz to the rescue, telling us all that prunes are not only for the senior set. In Paris, apparently, prunes are really quite chic. “I’m star-struck by prunes,” he explains in a Los Angeles Times article, “custardy wedges of Far Breton, studded with flambéed prunes, which Parisians enjoy as le snack in the afternoon, or scoops of Agenais ice cream, made with Armagnac-macerated prunes, at famed ice cream shop Berthillon on the Ile St.-Louis.”

Mon Dieu, sign me up.

Even better than knowing my beloved prunes are not nearly so fuddy-duddy as I thought is discovering new ways of preparing them. Lebovitz’s article includes recipes for Earl Grey tea-poached prunes with glazed kumquats, prune and chocolate tiramisu, and prune-Armagnac ice cream.

How do you say “swoon” in French?