Agen prunes, a speciality of the Lot-et-Garonne, are the dried versions of Ente plums and have been awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certification.
Ente plums are first harvested (between mid-August and mid-September), washed, sorted and graded, then laid out on trays in ovens and dried for 20 to 24 hours at 70 to 80°C. 3 to 3.5 kg of fresh plums are need to produce 1 kg of prunes.
Tender and tasty, as well as good for your health, Agen prunes combine beneficial nutritional properties and a great taste. Delicious on their own or as a canapé wrapped in a thin slice of smoked bacon, Agen prunes are also good in a range of different sweet and savoury culinary preparations, including tajines, stews, clafoutis, muffins and far breton (custard flan with prunes).
Worth a visit: the Musée du Pruneau (prune museum) in Lafitte-sur-Lot, which explains the history of the prune through collections, reconstructions and traditional tools.
Two key festivals honour the Agen prune: the Grand Pruneau Show every last weekend of August in Agen, and the Foire aux Pruneaux on the second weekend of September in Saint-Aubin.