The Alchemy of the Plum: Candice Van Devender

Some of the most fascinating foods begin with something incredibly simple. For Candice Van Devender, that something is a small green Korean plum, and the remarkable transformation that happens when nature is given the time to work its magic.
At Chunsa Farms, Candice and her family grow Korean green plums, a fruit known for its beautiful green color and intensely tart flavor. Unlike the sweet plums many of us know, these little fruits are not typically eaten fresh. Their real potential is discovered through an age-old process of fermentation.
The journey begins after the harvest.
The plums are carefully prepared and allowed to ferment, gradually transforming over time into maesil, a traditional Korean plum syrup. The process can take a year or longer, requiring patience and attention rather than rushing the fruit toward a finished product.
And that patience is part of what makes it so special.
As the months pass, the tart green plums slowly develop into something entirely different, sweet, complex and wonderfully versatile. Maesil can be enjoyed mixed with water or sparkling water, incorporated into recipes or used as a distinctive ingredient in cooking. Chunsa Farms also creates a fermented plum vinegar.
For Candice, the process is about more than creating something delicious. It is about preserving a tradition and appreciating what can happen when you allow an ingredient to evolve naturally.
The history behind maesil reaches back generations in Asian food culture, where the Korean green plum has long been valued for its culinary versatility and preserved through fermentation. At Chunsa Farms, that tradition has found a home in California, where Candice is introducing local families to a flavor and process that may be completely new to them.
Her presence at local farmers markets has become an opportunity to share that story. Customers who discover the bright, distinctive flavor of maesil often become enthusiastic fans, returning to the market for more and learning new ways to incorporate it into their own kitchens.
There is something beautifully fitting about the process. In a world where so much of our food is produced for speed and convenience, Candice’s work is a reminder that some things simply cannot be hurried.
The plum must be harvested at the right time. The fermentation must be allowed to develop. And the finished product must be given time to become what it was meant to be.
Perhaps that is the true art behind Chunsa Farms. Candice isn’t simply working with a fruit, she is working with time, tradition and transformation.
What begins as a tiny, intensely sour green plum becomes something unexpectedly beautiful: a flavorful connection between the farm, the kitchen and a tradition that has been passed down through generations.
And in Candice’s hands, that transformation becomes something we can all experience, one spoonful, one sip and one little plum at a time.
You can find Candice at Newhall Farmers Market or on Facebook/Instagram: Chunsa.Maeshil.

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