General Information
The Greengage plum is deceptive in its looks, perhaps suggesting sour flavors with its unripe shades of mottled green and a taste similar to that of a tart granny smith apple. Rather, they have some of the highest sugar levels measurable, some reading almost 30 brix on the refractometer. They are a relatively small plum and depending upon variety can range from pale yellow-green to bright lime with rusty red speckling on their exterior. The amber colored inner flesh is dense and juicy with a tender yet firm texture, bursting with syrup-like juices. The Greengage’s flavor is the perfect balance of candy-like sweetness and subtle acidity offering notes of honey, dried apricot, ripe mango and citrus marmalade.
History
Sources attribute the origin of the name “Greengage” variably to several members of the Gage family. One account states that the cultivar was brought into England by the Rev. John Gage who obtained them from the Chartreuse Monastery. “Green Gages” were imported into England from France in 1724 by Sir William Gage, 2nd Baronet (d. 1727), from whom they get their English name. Allegedly, the labels identifying the French plum trees were lost in transit to Gage’s home in Bury St. Edmunds. Soon after, Greengages were cultivated in the American colonies, even being grown on the plantations of American presidents George Washington (1732–1799) and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). However, their cultivation in North America has declined significantly since the eighteenth century.
