Recipe - Damson Cheese (Zwetschgenmus)

5 pound Plums
1 cup Water

Pit the damsons and mince them (or put them through the meat grinder or
puree in the blender or food processor), retaining as much of the juice as
possible. Add a little water to the minced damsons and the juice and
slowly bring to a boil' reduce the fruit pulp over low heat for several
hours, but do not stir or the damson pulp is quite likely to scorch on the
bottom.

When the pulp has thickened somewhat, it will have to be stirred
continuously for several hours, until it is literally thick enough that a
spoon will stand up in it. It may sputter and bubble during this stage. (In
former days, it was usual for several families to convene in the village
washhouse for a cooperatove 'Zwetschgenmus' cooking session, with
storytelling and other impromptu entertainments to give encouragement to
the stirrers.)

When the damson cheese has sufficiently thickened, transfer it to stoneware
crocks and bake in the oven until a dry crust has formed on top. The damson
cheese will keep better if a piece of parchment paper that has been soaked
in rum is placed on top of this crust before the crock is sealed with
plastic wrap (formerly a piece of linen or parchment was used). A good
imported product is available on the American market under the name of
'Pflaumenmus' (pronounced Flaumenmoose).

From: THE CUISINES OF GERMANY by Horst Scharfenberg, Simon &
Schuster/Poseidon Press, New York. 1989 Posted by: Karin Brewer, Cooking
Echo, 8/92

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini