Frank's Fruit Forum
Learn from one of the very best in the Produce business. Frank is basically famous in the world of Produce and you'll have the upper-hand just by coming to "Frank's Fruit Forum". Every few weeks you'll learn something new. We'll search for interesting tidbits to share with you as well as some great tips and tricks to make your produce eating experience a pleasure. We'd love it if you came back often!!
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The fruit season has once again changed. Soft fruits will now take center stage until August. Throughout the summer you can enjoy fresh, soft fruits from California. Plums, apricots, strawberries, nectarines, peaches, mangoes, cherries and more.
Try these quick links to view specific Produce "Archives"
Mangoes l Cherries l Plums
Here are some interesting facts and tidbits about plums.
A plum is a hard-pitted fruit just like a peach, cherry or even an apricot. They belong to the Prunus genus of plants. These types of plants are considered “drupes” which are fruits having a hard stone pit surrounding their seeds. It is sweet and juicy and can be eaten fresh or used in jams or other recipes. There are actually a large number of plum varieties available. One such variety is the European plum which they say was discovered two thousand years ago near the Caspian Sea….that’s quite awhile ago! Back in the days of the Romans there were already about 300 different types of plums available. So how did they get to the United States you ask? They came over with the Pilgrims who kindly introduced them to us back in the 1700’s. Now the United States is one of four main producers of commercially grown plums.
It is fairly simple to choose a good plum. First there’s the firmness to consider. If you are going to be eating your plum right away make sure it gives in to slight pressure and is a little soft at the tip. You can choose slightly firmer plums and let them ripen at home but if they are too firm you’ll be sacrificing taste. If you won’t be eating your plums for a few days you can leave them out at room temperature to allow them to ripen. Plums do tend to ripen rapidly so be sure to check on them after a day or two to prevent your plum from becoming too ripe. Next consider the color. Choose plums with a rich color that also includes a whitish tint or "bloom". This indicates they have not been over-handled. Finally make sure your plums don’t have any puncture marks and are free of bruises or decaying spots.
Ripe plums can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you need to freeze your plums remove the stone pits before placing them in the freezer to preserve the taste. If you will allow the plum to reach room temperature again before eating (after freezing) your plum will taste so much better - reaching the maximum amount of juiciness and sweetness.
It has been recently determined that a fully ripened fruit has the highest amount of antioxidants. Plums are high in vitamin C. They are also a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin B2 and potassium.
As most of us know, plums when dried are known as prunes. Some of us may also turn our noses up at the slightest mention of a prune. What you might not know is this: It is a possibility that you might have heard more about “dried plums” recently instead of prunes. This is a direct result of a new marketing campaign by prune makers who wanted to update the image of their products. It has been a long standing fact that prunes are consumed mainly by elderly people with constipation. Plums can’t help it if they are a good source of dietary fiber!
Plums are very versatile in cooking. They can be baked, poached, sliced, broiled, stewed, or mashed into a jam. Sometimes your recipe will call for the skin to be removed. This process can be made a bit easier if you first blanch the plum in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Then quickly run the plum under cold water to stop the blanching process and peel. To remove the pit, cut the plum in half lengthwise and then twist those halves in opposite directions. This will allow easy access to the pit for removal.
Take all your new found knowledge about plums and go buy some today!
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