Fresh Plum Syrup

Store in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Keep refrigerated.

Dark-skinned plums — Black Beauty, Santa Rosa, Italian prune — produce the most vibrantly colored, most complex syrups; yellow or green plums produce a lighter, more honey-like result with less tannin. Leave the skin on during simmering for maximum color and flavor; the skin dissolves partially into the syrup and strains out cleanly. A splash of red wine vinegar (one teaspoon) in the finished syrup creates an Italian agrodolce character and extends shelf life. Italian prune plums, available in late summer, are the most economical choice for syrup due to their concentrated flavor.

Plums (Prunus domestica and related species) have been cultivated for at least three thousand years, with origins traced to the Caucasus region of Central Asia before spreading westward to Europe and eastward to China and Japan. Ancient Chinese texts document plum cultivation over two thousand years ago, and Japanese ume plums — the basis of umeshu plum wine — have been cultivated for over one thousand years. European plum cultivation was spread throughout the Roman Empire and continued through the medieval period when plums were an important fruit in monastery orchards. Italian prune plums (also called Empress or Stanley plums) are particularly prized for syrups because their relatively low moisture content produces a more concentrated, jammy flavor. In cocktail culture, plum syrup pairs particularly well with bourbon, rye, and Cognac in autumn-oriented drinks, and the Japanese ume-shiso flavor combination has influenced a wave of Asian-American cocktail menus.

A plum-star anise syrup, adding two whole star anise during simmering, creates an Asian-inspired variation with a faint licorice depth that works beautifully with gin and aged rum. A spiced plum syrup using one cinnamon stick, two cloves, and a small piece of fresh ginger during simmering produces a warming autumnal cocktail syrup excellent in bourbon drinks. For a Japanese ume-inspired plum syrup, add one tablespoon of shiso simple syrup to the finished plum syrup for the classic umeshu flavor profile.

No common top-eight allergens. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Plum is a stone fruit — those with stone fruit allergies or birch oral allergy syndrome may react. Remove all pit material before cooking.