Rounded and yellow-green, deep purple, or small and golden, plums wear a fine white bloom — a natural wax the fruit makes to shield itself from the sun. The tree shrugs off cold winters and is one of the most commonly planted fruit trees in Europe. Choose fruit soft to the touch but never mushy.
| World production | 12 million tons — that’s 21 plums per person on Earth! |
|---|---|
| Peak season | summer |
| Availability | mid-summer → mid-fall |
| Top 3 producers | China, Romania, Serbia, USA |
| Nutrition | 3.5 oz (100 g) of plums are equivalent to 48.7 kcal |
Plum trees are sometimes used as ornamental plants. It is, however, most often grown for its fruits. It is one of the most commonly planted fruit trees in Europe. The Plum tree is a robust tree that resists quite well to cold winters, so it can be found both in Northern areas and Southern areas.
The first flowers start appearing on branches at the beginning of spring. But July is when the first fruits are ready for harvesting.
The most tardy varieties even fiddle around until September.
It isn’t quite certain where the plum tree, as grown today, comes from. It seems to be a hybrid bred from several European and Asian species thousands of years ago. Cultivation of plum seems ancient. Archaeologists have found fruit stones related to Mirabelles in digging sites that date back to the Bronze Age.
It has also been shown that in Egypt, dried prunes where placed in the tombs under the Pyramids. The prune was also widely grown in Syria, where the Crusaders were stopped.
In Europe, the Middle Ages and especially the Renaissance is when plums made it into the spotlight. One particular variety, the “Reine-Claude” (greengage), took on the name of the Queen of King François the 1st who adored the fruits.
There are many plum varieties, yet rarely more than a handful reach the market stall. Colour, shape and flesh are what tell them apart when you are choosing.
| Variety | Colour and shape | Flesh and taste | Named forms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greengage | Rounded, yellow-green | Firm and sweet | Reine-Claude |
| Mirabelle | Smaller still, golden | Yellow-orange flesh, mild sweet taste | — |
| Damson | Deep purple | — | ‘Golden Japan’, ‘Blackamber’, quetsche |
Whichever you pick, a smooth, unblemished skin and a sweet fragrance are the signs to trust.
The plum must be soft to the touch without being mushy. The skin must be smooth, without blemishes, and a sweet fragrance must emanate from it. The thin white veil that covers the fruit is called “bloom”: it is a sort of natural wax barrier that the fruit produces to fend off harsh rays of the sun. This bloom is a sign that the fruit is very fresh, and wasn’t handled too much since being harvested. Note that some varieties don’t produce this bloom naturally.
There are many plum varieties, nonetheless rarely more than four appear on our market stalls:
Plums must be eaten quickly after they’ve been purchased. What is best is thus to eat them on the same day.
Depending on how mature they are, it is possible for them to keep up to ten days in the refrigerator. Best is then to bring them out of the vegetable compartment a few minutes before eating so that the fruit may release its wholesome taste.
With the pit removed, it is very easy to keep plums in the freezer.
Fresh from the tree, simply rinse it off and bite away! In pies, clafoutis, crumbles, it is easy to bake thanks to its very thin peel that needs not be removed.
To remove the stone, slice the fruit in half at the last minute, or the flesh will turn brown.
With salty dishes, plums pair best with white meats.
And to savor it all year round, plums are perfect for plum jam mixed with tart and tangy fruits like rhubarb, lemons or oranges.
Sources:
(1) Ciqual 2013
