Everything you better know about buying and storing plums for maximum enjoyment.
Fresh from the icebox, sweet and cold, nothing could be dreamier on a summer day.
And then we have plum jams, plum cakes, plum treats of all kinds.
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There are so many reasons to be excited about plum season!
When and how and where to get good ones?
How to store them?
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Plum season is typically late June/early July to September.
Plum Varieties
There are around 300 plum varieties grown and sold across the United States.
To keep things simple, were sticking to the basics of the plum variety breakdown.
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The two main types of commercially grown plums areEuropean(prunus domestica)andJapanese(prunus salicina).
European plums, aka prune plums, are mainly grown to be turned into dried plums.
A tiny percentage (2-3%) of European plums are grown to be sold fresh.
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Their skins range in color, but their flesh is mainly yellow, sometimes green.
Many European plums are oval-shaped.
Theyre freestone fruits, which means their pits are very easy to remove.
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Japanese plums have been bred into countless varieties, and theyre all almost exclusively for eating fresh.
Their skins are thin, and they come in every color of the rainbow.
Their flesh also has a large color spectrum.
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The majority are round, but some are oblong and resemble hearts.
Plum/apricot hybrids like Pluots, Plumcots, and Apriums are derived from Japanese plums.
Lesser plum species (prunus insititia)worth mentioning are Damsons and Mirabelles.
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Theyre related to European plums, not widely grown, and have brief seasons.
Damsons are dark blueish-purple, very tart, and traditionally used for jam.
Mirabelles are sweet, their skins golden yellow with kisses or freckles of red.
Both are very small and cute.
Make friends with the farmers and learn about the plums you have to choose from.
When theyre in season, plums from California and Michigan can be found in grocery stores.
Stick to the season of you want poem-worthy plums.
They should feel heavy for their size, and firm.
The flower end (the end opposite the stem) should have a little give when gently pressed.
Bring home the ones you like, and theyll get ripe in time.
Once they start softening, you’re able to start inspecting their flower ends.
When youre at a farmers market, smell the plums youre considering.
If they make you swoon, take them home.
How to Freeze Plums
Wash and thoroughly dry.
Halve, remove the pit.
Place the halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and move to the freezer.
These will keep for up to six months.
you might also freeze them whole.
Just wash, dry, and toss in a plastic bag.
Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze.
