Quetschen are a type of plum that ripen in August and September. They grow on trees in gardens and orchards all across Luxembourg, and for a few weeks in late summer they appear on market stalls everywhere. When you press one gently, it gives off a sweet, slightly tangy smell that immediately makes you want to eat it.
Making a quetsch tart is a proper baking project. First you mix flour, butter and a little sugar into a short pastry, press it into a round tin and bake it a little. Then you lay the halved plums skin-side up in neat overlapping rows across the pastry — some bakers arrange them in a spiral, others in rows, each family with its own style.
The tart goes back in the oven until the plums soften and their edges start to caramelise, turning deep purple with golden edges. The kitchen fills with a smell so good that it is almost impossible to wait. It is usually eaten warm with a spoonful of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The quetsch season is short — just a few weeks — which makes the tart feel extra special. Luxembourgish families look forward to it all year, and many bake one or two every weekend during the plum harvest. Children often help arrange the plum halves on the pastry, which is one of the best jobs.