Fruit
Ume plum
ウメ うめ ume
Also known asume
At its best in Jun
When it is at its best
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Umeboshi (salted dried plum)
Salted, then dried in the sun.
Umeshu (plum liqueur)
Green ume steeped with rock sugar and shochu.
Ume syrup
Steeped with rock sugar.
Ume jam
Ripe ume cooked down.
How to choose
Choose by use: hard green ume for liqueur and syrup, ripe yellow fruit for umeboshi. Avoid any with blemishes.
Storage
Process green ume before it ripens. It cannot be eaten raw and must always be processed.
Main areas
Good to know
Nanko ume from Wakayama is famous. Raw ume stones contain harmful compounds, so the fruit must always be processed before eating.
