Care & Handling

Selection
Plums should be plump and well colored for their variety. If the fruit yields to gentle pressure, it is ready to eat; however, you can buy plums that are fairly firm but not rock hard and let them soften at home. They will not, however, increase in sweetness. Ripe plums will be slightly soft at the stem and tip; avoid those with shriveled skin, mushy spots, or breaks in the skin.

Storage
To soften hard plums, place several in a loosely closed paper bag and leave them at room temperature for a day or two; when softened, transfer them to the refrigerator. Ripe plums can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Preparation
Wash plums before eating or cooking them. They will be juiciest (and to most palates taste sweetest) at room temperature. To pit Italian prune plums and other freestone types, cut the fruit lengthwise in half, twist the halves apart, and lift out the pit. To slice or quarter clingstone plums, use a sharp paring knife and cut through the flesh toward the pit.

Cooking
Baking: Place halved, pitted plums in a baking dish and sprinkle with sugar and spices to taste. Add a few spoonfuls of fruit juice and cover. Bake in a 400°F oven until tender; check during baking and add more liquid, if necessary. Cooking time: about 20 minutes.

Poaching: Plums can be cooked whole (prick them with a fork first), halved, or sliced. For serving whole, cook the fruit unpeeled to preserve its shape. Place the fruit in simmering juice, wine, or a mixture of water and sugar, and cook until tender. Cooking time: three to eight minutes