Green Gages

Back when we were staying with Grahame and Jo, oh so many scenic villages ago, they offered us some Green Gages after lunch one day. They said it so matter-of-factly, as if they were offering us tea or coffee, that I felt a bit silly not knowing what was being offered to me. Well, Green Gages turned out to be delicious, even addictive, and I was very happy to see a beautiful assortment of them at our local fruit and vegetable shop this afternoon, and picked a bagful to bring home:

Green Gages are drupes, or cultivated plums, that originated in France under a more regal name, Reine Claude (Queen Claude), also known as la bonne reine (the good queen). Whatever their name, they are amazing--the closest I've tasted to candy disguised as a plum. I don't recall eating Green Gages in Vancouver, so maybe they're not as common in North America as they are here? In any case, I'm going to enjoy them while our local shop has them in stock!