A dark purple damson “cheese”, was once the highlight of the Victorian dessert table. Drenched in port and served on an imposing tiered plate, it was a cheese only in texture. The jam mixture was cooked very stiff then turned out of a straight sided pot once it had matured for a year or two.

Damsons are a more ancient fruit than plums and got their name from the wild fruits that grew around Damascus in Syria. More cultivated varieties were developed in Britain than in any other European country and huge orchards were planted for the north of England’s cloth industry, which used them as a dye.

Besides the majestic cheese, there are old recipes for puddings, pies, country wines and jams. There are also recipes for drying them like prunes, as well as more unusual combinations with aniseed, cloves and cinnamon.

To make spiced damsons to eat with game and cold meats: simmer 1 pint of full-bodied red wine with 5oz soft brown sugar and a few cinnamon sticks or aniseed pods, and two or three cloves for about a minute; add 2lb ripe damsons; simmer till the damsons are just soft; pack damsons into jars and pour over the syrup. Keep for a few months before use. Like the cheese it will keep for years.

Preserved by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton, Kyle Cathie, £14.99; Food in England by Dorothy Hartley, Little Brown, £17.99

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