Dear David, I take back everything I said along with all my snide digestive-cleansing comments regarding the pedantic prune. You were right. I am converted. Prunaliciously yours, Laura
Since God forbid I do anything moderately, I took on David's Prune Blogging Thursday challenge with great gusto and headed to J Detou for some prunes. I was actually searching for passion fruit puree (coming in a few days) and I saw a tin of Pruneaux d’Agen that he’d exhalted. 18 euros later and a severe case of sticker shock, I staggered home glassy-eyed.
However all was made right in the world when I opened this little box o’ gold a la Charlie Bucket and his first bar of chocolate. There are 16 individually wrapped prunes in the beguiling blue tin. Are you doing the mental calculations as in 18 euros divided by 16 prunes equals 1.125 euros per prune...approximately...which comes to 1.406 or $1.41 PER PRUNE! I could by a 10 gallon drum of prunes at Costco for that! But...
Bite into one of these little jewels and you will be transported to an out-of-body experience. They were firm on the outside, but sweet, creamy on the inside as if little Agen elfs magically removed all the insides, pureed them, sprinkled with fairy dust and reinserted it into the prunes. Maybe they did indeed do this and I am completely clueless and have no right to call myself a 'culinary professional' but these little babies just about knocked my socks off...and I wasn’t wearing socks!
A tin of Pruneaux d’Agen: 18 euros
Eating a Pruneaux d’Agen: Priceless
wow, that's one expensive box of prune alright!
Posted by: Lil | Saturday, 22 October 2005 at 02:36 PM
Glad you liked those prunes! I had some stuffed ones with chocolate last week as well that were amazing. Apparently the Pruneaux Fourres are one of the classiest housegifts you can bring someone in France. But who better than to give the pricey gift to...than yourself..?
Posted by: David | Sunday, 23 October 2005 at 12:12 AM
wow, stuffed with chocolate! how decadent was that?! so true about the gift giving. why wait around for someone else to give it to me :-)
Posted by: laura @ cucina testa rossa | Tuesday, 25 October 2005 at 07:25 AM
I, too, LOVE pruneaux d'agen. I didn't know I did until I read about them on frenchselections.com. Now I am spoiled and cannot satisfy myself with American prunes. Can you tell me: Who is the least expensive dealer of these prunes on the internet?
Thanks for the recipes!
Posted by: Emily | Thursday, 09 August 2007 at 01:03 PM
Pruneaux d'Agen are also my favorite treat and I know this artisan in the town of Agen who makes them stuffed with plum pulp. Absolutely incredible! You can find them in this online French store: http://www.histoiresucree.com/pruneaux_d_agen.html
They are so good and the box is so pretty and so French!
Posted by: Olivia | Thursday, 27 March 2008 at 03:25 PM
I tried this wonderful recipe--a mousse with prunes in: http://www.histoiresucree.com/recipes/mousse_glacee_pruneaux.html
Delicious! You really have to try this!
Posted by: Isabelle | Friday, 12 March 2010 at 09:26 AM