Ella Bitskey

Ella Bitskey wrote a monthly column entitled ”Floridai levelek” for the Hungarian monthly Életünk published in München. Those columns have now been collected and made available by Szent Maximilián lap- és könyvkiadó in Budapest.  She is a sometime contributor to Magyar News Online.

I know many poems and songs about roses, rosemarys, poplars, and cherries, but I never heard any about the hosszú szilva (prune plum.)  Oh, but I can write an ode to the Besztercei hosszú szilva.  It is also called Magyar Szilva, although the smaller sized, slightly elongated plum most likely originated in Syria.

The tree was standing in a prominent place in our garden.  I couldn’t wait when its fruit’s color started to change from green to dark blue.  It ripened by the end of August, beginning of September. 

Its sweet and sour taste makes it perfect to eat it fresh or to dry it to make aszalt szilva (prunes).  The pit comes out easily, not at all like other plum types.  My Mother made the best lekvár (prune butter), and my Father made pálinka (whiskey) out of it.  But I enjoyed the szilvás gombóc (plum dumpling) and the szilvás lepény (plum pastry) the most.

Here is one of the recipes that was my favorite.