The one thing I forgot about summer in Germany is Pflaumenkuchen. Plum cake. The only garden left over from the bit of town that used to be all garden when I was small still has plum trees, and they are ripe. My favourite colour, dark purple. Not my favourite fruit though. I remember a plum tree in our garden, lots of maggots in them, and I simply didn't like the taste of plums. Old ladies would make or buy plum cake for their high tea. At the baker's, plum cake was generally full of wasps, and I was sure one day it would sting me. I hated plum cake.

I was offered it today and politely ate it. It's not too bad actually. Especially with lots of cream on top, that really adds to it. If presented with a choice of cake, I still wouldn't pick plum cake. But if presented with the choice of plum cake or no cake, well, alright then.

And plum trees with ripe plums, boy they are beautiful!