Yellow plums, with their bright hues and often delicate flavors, represent a distinct and appealing category within the diverse plum family. These stone fruits, ranging in color from pale yellow to deep golden, offer a unique balance of sweetness and subtle tartness that distinguishes them from their red and purple counterparts. They are cherished for both fresh eating and a variety of culinary applications, making them a versatile addition to many kitchens.
Popular Yellow Plum Varieties
Mirabelle plums (Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca) are small, oval, and typically golden-yellow, sometimes flecked with red. These plums are primarily cultivated in the Lorraine region of France, which accounts for approximately 80% of global commercial production. Mirabelles are known for their intensely sweet and flavorful flesh, which easily separates from the pit, making them a freestone variety.
Shiro plums, often called Shiro Japanese plums (Prunus salicina), are medium to large in size and have a round to slightly oval shape. Their smooth, glossy skin ripens from greenish-yellow to a vibrant golden-yellow, occasionally displaying a faint red blush. Shiro plums are celebrated for their firm, juicy, and succulent flesh, offering a sweet and mild flavor profile with a balanced acidity. These are clingstone plums, meaning the flesh adheres to the pit.
Yellow Egg plums (Prunus domestica) are a European variety characterized by their distinctive egg-like shape and golden-yellow skin. The flesh of the Yellow Egg plum is firm and also golden, often described as tart with citrusy undertones when not fully ripe. While traditionally considered a cooking plum, when allowed to ripen completely on the tree, it can develop a honey-like sweetness comparable to Gage plums.
Oullins Golden Gage plums are notable for their large size for a gage, exhibiting an attractive golden color with faint red dots. This French variety offers a sweet, gage-like flavor, making it suitable for both fresh consumption and culinary uses. The fruit of the Oullins Golden Gage has a semi-clinging stone and is known for its consistent flavor across seasons.
Flavor and Culinary Applications
Yellow plums generally present a sweet and mild flavor profile, often featuring delicate floral or honey-like undertones. Their sweetness is often balanced by a subtle tartness, creating a refreshing taste experience. This balance makes them suitable for a range of culinary uses.
Fresh consumption is a popular way to enjoy yellow plums. When selecting plums, look for plump, well-colored fruits that feel heavy for their size and yield slightly to gentle pressure at the blossom end. A sweet, fruity aroma indicates ripeness, while wrinkled or mushy skin suggests overripeness or loss of freshness.
Yellow plums excel in various cooked applications, including jams, jellies, tarts, and pies, where their natural sweetness can shine. Their firm flesh holds up well during baking and cooking. For storage, unripe plums can ripen at room temperature. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Distinguishing Yellow Plums
Yellow plums possess characteristics that set them apart within the broader plum family, especially when compared to their red or purple counterparts. They typically offer a milder, often sweeter taste with less tartness, making them a preferred choice for those who enjoy a less acidic fruit. While red and purple plums often have a richer, more robust flavor with pronounced tartness, yellow plums lean towards delicate sweetness and sometimes floral notes.
Differentiating yellow plums from other similar-looking fruits like apricots requires attention to specific details. Apricots generally have a fuzzy skin, a distinctly grooved pit, and a drier, less juicy flesh, whereas yellow plums typically have smooth skin and a juicier interior. Their seasonality also helps distinguish them, with many yellow-fleshed plums being available earlier in the summer season, typically from late June through September, though this can vary by region and specific variety. This unique combination of flavor, texture, and appearance allows yellow plums to hold their own as a distinct and valued fruit.