In Provence, there’s a way to keep fruit long after the picking days have passed. It isn’t a recipe so much as a rhythm—They call it fruits au soleil—fruit preserved by the sun.
You begin in the morning, when the orchard is still cool. The fruit should be ripe. No bruises. Apricots, cherries, plums, peaches—all the small stone fruits that feel like summer in your palm. Wash them gently, then let them dry in the sun before they ever touch a jar.
The glass jars, with tight lids. They don’t need to be sterilized in boiling water—just clean, ready to hold what’s given. You place the fruit inside, layering it with spoonfuls of sugar. Not measured, just generous. Enough to draw out the sweetness and coax it into syrup. Some people pit the fruit. Others don’t. No rules, really.
Seal the jars tightly, and then leave them out in the sun. A stone ledge, a windowsill, a table in the garden—anywhere that catches light and holds warmth. Let them sit like that for three weeks, maybe five. The sun does its quiet work. You’ll see the fruit soften, shrink, darken, become something rich and that make your tastebuds tingle.
Every few days, turn the jars. Gently. Upside down, then back again. Let the sugar and juice swirl together and sink deep into the flesh. Some add a splash of brandy. Others tuck in a sprig of thyme, rosemary, or lavender. But many keep it plain—just fruit, sugar, and sun.
When the days begin to cool and the jars are heavy with syrup, bring them inside. Store them in a dark cupboard or cellar. They’ll keep through winter, though they’re often eaten before the first frost.
Note: Loquat Chinese Plum
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