Topoloveni Plum Jam
‘Magiun de prune Topoloveni’ is a fine, homogenous paste made from quality plums that are carefully selected when they are fully ripe. It is produced using traditional methods in the town of Topoloveni, in Romania, and has exceptional health-giving qualities thanks to the local expertise and production method, that has been passed down from one generation to the next. It is made using common plums (Prunus domestica L. ssp domestica) and derivatives thereof: Stanley, Pitestean, Tuleu timpuriu, Tuleu gras, Grasa ameliorata, Grasa Romanesca, Bistriteana, Vinata Romaneasca, Brumarii, Valcean, Centenar, Pescarus, Dimbovita, Tomnatici de Caran Sebes, Silvia and Boambe de Leordeni. When they are fully ripened, these varieties of plum are rich in carbohydrates (natural sugar) and vitamin C, the specific qualities needed to make magiun.
During the production process plums are boiled in indirectly heated special double-walled vats and continuously stirred with wooden stirrers. Because water is eliminated during the manufacturing process, this product is rich in both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre (34,2%). It does not contain any added sugars, other sweeteners or preservatives and it has a pleasant sweet-sour taste that is derived from the fully ripened plums. It has a strong, pleasant smell.
The product’s nutritional value is increased due to the inclusion of the fruit’s skin being incorporated into the final product. It is well known that the plum’s skin contains the greatest proportion of active biological substances and nutrients (antioxidants, vitamins, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre, etc.).
According to local archives, the area’s magiun making tradition dates back to 1914 when the first magiun factory was established by a local family (the Maximilian Popovici family).