As a forager I´ve become more and more curious when it comes to what other food cultures makes out of wild food. The Japanese Plum liqueur is a good example, even though I´ve never tasted it before, I read that one can use unripe Mirabelles in stead of the traditional Ume (Japanese green plum), so off course I had to try making some. I find that theres so many unripe Mirabelle plums in august and september every where. And I do mean all over – along fields, in forests, along roads … I pick the ripe ones as well, which I use for jams, grenadine and spiced plumsauce. And off course, as any forager should do, I don’t rip one tree, I pick in parts so that there is partly for others and so that there is food for birds and other animals. But when it comes to Mirabelles in these parts where I live, theres plenty for all of us. Using the pulp on a Mirabelle is a lot of work as they are so small !! So in recent years I have started using them mostly to make Nordic olives and now also liqueur. Here, the process is easier because you just need to poke them and then preserve them. You can use any plums for this recipe and I will for sure be making all sorts of Plum liqueurs this summer, but the unripe Mirabelle plum gives the liqueur a slight acidity, which is really delicious and keeps it from being too sweet.
You have to make a batch of this – It has an almondy taste, due to the substance amygdalin from the stone, along with the slightly acidity and sweetness. Use it in cocktails, as it is along with cheese or desserts or with an ice cube on a hot summer day in the shade.
All you need is 3 ingredients:
Unripe Mirabelle plums, sugar and vodka.
And A LOT of patience. The liqueur wont be ready for at least six months, mine took seven, some say up till a year. But storage it in the back of a cabinet once you´ve mixed it, write a note in your calendar maybe and then forget all about it. It´s really worth the wait.
There is a side benefit of making this liqueur and that is that you get out into nature when you have to pick the mirabelles 🙂 Because thats where you start – pick a basket full of unripe green Mirabelles. When you come home you, you rinse them and check them for any worm holes and then prick them 2-3 places each and put them in a jar or bottle – cleaned and scalded. Then you layer plums and sugar and tops with vodka. Remember to note the date on the jar and now you just keep it in a dark and not to warm place for at least six month. When it is ready, you simply strain out the plums and pour the liqueur into a bottle.
How do you know if it´s ready, you might think … well, the answer is simple: when it has the right mouthfeel and taste to your taste.
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