Plum

The plant is best described as small tree or large shrub. It is widely cultivated at commercial scale in the United States, Europe, Japan and China. Several cultivars of plums are grown all over the world, which differ in their color, size and growth characteristics. Generally, each variety of the plum tree bears numerous, almost uniform sized berries between May and September months.

Each berry is about the size of medium-sized tomato, measuring about 5-6 cm in diameter and weigh about 50-70 g. It has central umblicated depression at the stem end. Internally, its pulp is juicy, succulent and vary widely from creamy yellow, crimson, light-blue or light-green in color depending up on the cultivar type.

Being a "drupe" family fruit, plum features a centrally placed single, smooth, flat but hard pit. Seeds are inedible.

Plums have sweet and tart taste with pleasant aroma. Some of common cultivars are: cherry plum, damson, blackthorn plum.

1. Plums can be available year around, but they are at their best between May until September. In the stores, look for fresh fruits featuring rich color and may still have a slight whitish "bloom" on their surface indicating that they are fresh stock and have not been mishandled.

2. Avoid those ones with excessively soft, or with cuts or bruises. Ripe fruits just yield to gentle pressure and feature a sweet aroma.

3. Slightly hard but mature plums can be kept at room temperature until they are ripen. Once ready, they can be placed inside the refrigerator but should be brought to room temperature before being consumed in order to enjoy their rich natural flavor. Dry plums called "prunes," can be stored at room temperature for few days.

1. Eat fresh as a snack

2. Plum sections are a great addition to salads.

3. The fruits are being used in the preparation of pie, desserts, jams  (also see ) and jellies (also here and here ).

4. Cut the plums in half, remove the stones and bake in the oven. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

5. They can also be used in a variety of recipes and are usually baked or poached.

6. Dried plums in general known as prunes can be added to muffins, cakes, ice-creams, etc., as in other dry fruits like raisins, apricots and figs.

 

7. They can also be baked or stewed.

8. Plums go well with chicken  (also see here and here )and pork dishes (also see here and here ) and can be added to casseroles and curries.

9. Plum sauce ( also see here and here) , plum cobber, plum leather, plum juice (also see )