Gurrun

Gurrun “Davidson Plum” Jam

Eramboo Farm

Davidson plums are amazing bush tucker. I first learned about them from Kuku Yalanji elder Kuranba (Bennett Walker) in the Daintree Rainforest. In Kuku Yalanji the names for plum is gurrun. Gurrun are very tart. But that in itself should tell us something. Even when ripe it is like eating pure ascorbic acid. Bennett knew they were very good for eye health and general well-being. In traditional diet they were often added to water and or pounded and combined with native flours and dampers. Now the whole world is starting to realise that the ancient fruits of Australia have the highest nutritional values ever recorded. They are so-called super foods. Les Gordon planted many amazing rainforest trees at Eramboo farm. Three Davidson plum trees produce about 100 precious plums every year – equivalent to the Vitamin C of 10,000 oranges. From these I produce a limited amount of jam each year.

Peter Botsman 12/3/2016

”There are four varieties of Davidson plum or “orray”, which grows from the far tropical north of Australia to northern New South Wales {and Kangaroo Valley} …. They have 100 times the vitamin C found in oranges and also contain lutein, a compound that plays an important role in eye health, along with magnesium, zinc, calcium potassium and manganese.’- Natascha Mirosch Wednesday 11 December 2013 The Guardian

According to the Australian Super Food Company:

• “The Davidson Plum is an excellent source of potassium. Potassium plays a vital role in every single heartbeat. It helps our muscles move, our nerves work and our kidneys filter out toxins.
• It is a good source of Vitamin E and zinc; two nutrients required for glowing, youthful looking skin.
• It is a unique dairy-free source of calcium.
• It is an antioxidant powerhouse, containing high levels of anthocyanin, which is thought to improve cognitive function and protect against certain cancers and heart disease.
• It contains significantly more lutein than an avocado (thought to be the primary source of lutein). Lutein is a carotenoid vitamin that plays an important role in eye health, improving symptoms in atrophic age-related macular degeneration by inhibiting inflammation. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in aging Western societies.
• It contains properties believed to have antidiabetic effects and a capacity to reduce hypertension and obesity.”

Culinary Suggestions: the tart and intense fruity flavour of Gurrun lends itself to be used in a range of sweet and savoury dishes, including cakes, jams, sauces, yoghurt and ice-cream. Research is currently being conducted on the Davidson Plum’s antimicrobial properties, which are thought to act as a natural food preservative. If used in ordinary jams gurrun will preserve the jam for longer and boost its nutritional value.