Povidl, Bohemian Plum Butter
A plum marmalade cooked for a very long time, without a drop of added sugar, until it becomes a dark, concentrated confit that keeps for months. The reserve treat of Bohemian households.
A plum marmalade cooked for a very long time, without a drop of added sugar, until it becomes a dark, concentrated confit that keeps for months. The reserve treat of Bohemian households.
Here is a humble thing I never tire of: plum confit, black and shiny as velvet. In Bohemia, we would cook whole cauldrons of it in autumn, stirring for hours so it wouldn't burn, and then we had it for the whole winter. Spread it on good bread, or hide a spoonful in the heart of a sweet dumpling — and you will taste my country. No need for sugar: patience and low heat do all the work.
- •Very ripe plums (quetsch) — a large basket (sole fruit)
- •Cinnamon — a little (flavor, optional)
Povidl, Bohemian Plum Butter
A plum marmalade cooked for a very long time, without a drop of added sugar, until it becomes a dark, concentrated confit that keeps for months. The reserve treat of Bohemian households.
Why this dish? This very thick plum preserve is a treasure of Bohemian kitchens, Gluck's native land. It was cooked in autumn to last all winter, and filled the pastries and sweet Knödel of his childhood.
Here is a humble thing I never tire of: plum confit, black and shiny as velvet. In Bohemia, we would cook whole cauldrons of it in autumn, stirring for hours so it wouldn't burn, and then we had it for the whole winter. Spread it on good bread, or hide a spoonful in the heart of a sweet dumpling — and you will taste my country. No need for sugar: patience and low heat do all the work.
Ingredients (period version)
- Very ripe plums (quetsch) — a large basket (sole fruit)
- Cinnamon — a little (flavor, optional)
Ingredients
- Pitted quetsch plums — 2 kg (main fruit)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp (optional) (flavor)
- Ground clove — 1 pinch (optional) (flavor)
Method
- Pit the plums and place them in a large heavy-bottomed pot, without water or sugar.
- Cook over very low heat for several hours, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
- The mass reduces, darkens, and thickens: continue until a spoon stands upright in it.
- Add a hint of cinnamon and clove at the end if desired.
- Pour into scalded hot jars, seal, and invert to create a vacuum.
- Store in a cool, dark place.
How it was made : Povidl is emblematic of Bohemia and Central Europe: autumn plums were cooked for a very long time without sugar, as the long cooking concentrates their natural sugars and allows preservation for months. It was a way to keep fruit before the widespread use of sterilized jars.
The contemporary twist : Use it to fill doughnuts or top quark — a modern take on a confit that spans centuries.
Christoph Willibald Gluck · Charactorium
