About Plums

It's plum season in British Columbia!

Wild plums are native to North America. They are relatives of the peach, nectarine, and almond. Depending on the variety, they range in flavour from sugary-sweet to tangy and almost sour-tasting. They come in many shapes and colours too. They are smooth-skinned and are usually rounded, although they can also be oval or heart-shaped. Some, such as prune plums, have dark blue skin with yellow flesh. Others have red, golden, or black skins with red or yellow flesh. All plums contain a large flat seed.

Varieties

Yellow Plums: Round, yellow-skinned, yellow-fleshed plums arrive early and include varieties such as Early Golden and Shiro. Their tart-sweet flavour makes them wonderful for conserves and jams.

Red Plums: Best for eating out-of-hand, red plums ripen in late summer (mid- to late-August), with varieties such as Burbank, Ozark Premier and Vanier.

Italian Plums: Their deep flavours and firm flesh make purple, oval plums best suited for cooking. Varieties include Stanley and Italian.

Blue Plums: Due to the array of early- and late-blooming varieties, blue plum season is the longest (September to late October). Varieties include Brufre, Victory and Voyageur.

Pluots: These fabulous hybrids are easily identifiable by their speckled skins and curious names, such as Elephant Heart and Dinosaur Eggs. A cross between plums and apricots, pluots make delicious out-of-hand snacks and are great for crumb cakes and pies. Also look for Plumcots and Apriums.

Nutrition

One plum contains 36 calories, and is a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, and fibre. Plums are rich in antioxidants that are said to reduce the risk of cancer. Plums and prunes are known for their laxative effect. And though plums provide fibre, it is isatin - a natural laxative in plums - that gives prune juice its claim to fame as a laxative.

Buying and Storing

Look for plums that are plump with lots of colour. Choose fruit that yields to gentle pressure and is slightly soft at the tip. Avoid fruit with tears or shriveled skin, or soft, mushy spots.

If plums are not ripe when you buy them, leave them out at room temperature to ripen. Once they are ripe, store plums in the refrigerator.

Preparation

Wash plums just before using. Fresh plums are best eaten at room temperature for maximum flavour. They can also be baked or poached. Cooked plums are usually eaten with the skins on, but if you wish to peel them, first blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then submerse them in ice water to loosen the skins.

Plums can be enjoyed raw, whole or cut up in salads, on cereal, pancakes, and waffles and as a main-course garnish. Try plums as a perfect substitute in your favourite summertime berry recipes. Prune plums are especially well-suited to baked cobblers and crisps, pies, shortcakes, coffee cakes; in preserves and meat and game sauces; and as flavouring for ice cream. They also make a good base for a chilled summer soup.