Methley Plum
Photo: flickr user Carly & Art
About
The methley plum has a red flesh and a mildly sweet taste.
The Methley plum is a cultivar of the Japanese plum.
Information
Physical Description
Medium to large, round to conical shaped fruit with purple-red or red-purple skin and red flesh.
Tasting Notes
Selecting and Buying
Fruiting begins between 2 and 4 years of tree age. Methley plums produce heavy annual crops of red-purple fruit that are juicy and sweet. The fruit can be picked just before ripening as they'll ripen off the tree.
Preparation and Use
Plums can be eaten in a variety of ways including fresh, braised, stewed, poached, grilled, roasted, and jellied.
They also go well in beverages such as wine, punch, or juice. Jellies, jams and preserves can be made with plums, either as a main ingredient or as part of a mix. For desserts there are plum sorbet, plum upside down cake, granitas or pies.
To remove the stone, run your knife around the fruit at the middle, twist the two halves apart, and pull the stone free. This may take a little work as these plums have a clingstone.
Conserving and Storing
If your plums are not completely ripe at time of purchase, store them on the counter in a brown paper bag until they finish ripening.
Once ripe plums can be kept in a cool, dark place (the warmest part of your refrigerator) for up to two weeks. They can also be baked, made into jams, jellied, candied, or dehydrated.