PLUMS. They taste like heaven and the name rolls right off your tongue.

The Italian – or Stanley – plum tree in my yard has had a very good year.

I need a taller ladder quick, to reach those elusive clusters still swinging on high. I sat down with lunch and a beautiful book on preserving the other day –

to peruse more options for plums…there’s a pickled plum recipe that looks interesting, I might have to try before the season is over.

I just bought a dehydrater this summer, and dried many of my plums in the last few days – they are wonderful! A sweet bite with a nibble of dark chocolate… They will be great this winter, if they last! for muffins and breads, salads and such.

But another idea was forming, and I decided to try it! A test run for a possible dinner when family comes into town. Plum pizza. Upon smelling, and tasting, I deemed it worthy, and do hope you enjoy.

Italian Plum and Gorgonzola Pizza with Caramelized Onion and Toasted Walnuts

Pizza – one 8 inch pie

Please choose your favorite crust for this recipe! This gluten free girl loves Udi’s Pizza Crust!

• 1  8 inch pizza crust, homemade or purchased
• 2 c. sliced Italian plums (or any variety you like)
• 1 c. halved, sliced onion
• 1 tbsp. olive oil for saute
• a splash of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 – 2/3 c. crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or to taste – gorgonzola is very rich, so my tastes go a little easy)
• 1  1/2 c. toasted walnuts (I use a toaster oven, or more infrequently, a dry non-stick pan over medium heat, tossing the nuts often)
• 3 -4 cloves pan roasted garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp. or to taste olive oil – for liberally brushing the pizza crust
• fresh minced basil and thyme
• (if desired, chicken breast or tenders, rolled in ground mixed peppercorns and sauteed)

Finely chop 1 c. of the toasted walnuts, or pulse several times in food processor. Add garlic and fresh herbs. Separately crumble the remaining half cup walnuts into small pieces.

Saute onion over medium heat (and garlic cloves, if you don’t have any on hand) in 1 tbsp. olive oil until golden brown, and beginning to soften, and caramelize. Remove garlic, set aside to cool and finely mince. Add plums to the onion pan, and saute until fragrant and plums just beginning to break down. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, lower heat and allow to reduce. Pull from heat.

Meanwhile, heat grill, or stove-top grill pan. Brush both sides of pizza crust with oil, grill until lightly browned. Brush a tablespoon or so more oil on surface facing up. Evenly spread walnut, garlic and herb mixture over. Add sauteed plums and caramelized onion. Scatter gorgonzola cheese and crumbled walnut pieces over.

(If desired, add your chicken pieces on to the topping layers.)

Cover grill and heat pizza through. Slice and savor!

Sometimes, when there is a chilled bowl or sack of plums, especially Italian plums, and it is hot outside, very hot, it is difficult to keep what plums I might need for recipes. I’m sure you know the feeling :

This is just to say

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

~~

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast.

~~

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold.

~ William Carlos Williams   1934

Thank you, William Carlos Williams.