Prunes, Prawns and Palatableness

We've seen some amazing sights on our travels:

Tutankhamun's tomb and his burial mask, dawn at Machu Picchu, dolphins riding our bow, Statues at Easter Island, Notre Dame viewed from the canal, and many more remarkable sights and memories. So, why do I choose to write about a Prune Museum of all things?

Well, much to my surprise I found it interesting.

I’ve never liked prunes, that’s until we went to a prune museum along the Lot River in SW France.

The thought of wandering through shelves of shrivelled fruit with the life sucked out of them was not appealing. However, I was soon converted.

Years of drying/curing technology and processes were explained. The growing method and the loving care this family practised was intriguing. 

The drying ovens How it used to be done

The fact that I insisted on calling the wrinkly plums “prawns” made everyone smile throughout the tour (I do love prawns).

At the end of the tour we tasted prunes filled with cream, chocolate prunes, prunes with hazelnuts and my taste buds positively skipped with joy at the zest and bite of flavours.

The drying racks within the ovens, in times gone by, now it is quite different.

Here's a video on the modern day curing process. It's all machines and volume these days.

We purchased some plain old prunes, they are juicy and I love the flavour. But I do have one problem, I just can’t stand the texture.

They feel like, what I imagine, eating a large fly or moth would be like. With their tough, creased skin and gooey innards, my taste buds enjoy the tang, but my mouth dislikes the sensation.

I like the idea of eating them though, with all their benefits. Even now I thought I'd try another, but my nose is wrinkling in much the same way dried fruit does!


I realise how remarkably odd I can be – does anyone else have this problem?