Peng, I don’t know where you are located; so, I can’t comment much on what will grow well for you. I lilke the taste of Santa Rosa; but it doesn’t do well here, as mentioned above. The one variety that grows well for me and tastes good is Italian Prune, which is freestone and freezes well. I only have a backyard urban garden with a single plum tree; so, I haven’t tried many plum varieties. You should ask for responses from experienced plum growers whose climate is similar to yours.
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I’m in the Seattle area. I’ve heard that methley, shiro, beauty, and European plums do well here. I love shiro plums. But also read on here that methley & beauty taste just ok.
I’m in Vancouver, BC, which is similar to Seattle but cooler. I agree that the varieties that you mentioned should grow well, except that I haven’t grown Methley. As far as taste, individual likes vary tremendously. I’m sure that my perception of good tasting fruit is very different from yours, because I consider Shiro to be the worst tasting plum that I grow. So, my taste recommendations would not work for you.
But, to give you an idea of what I really like, I tasted what was labeled as a plumcot last year and decided that it was better than any of the plums that I have. I think that the “plumcot” was actually the pluot variety Dapple Dandy, which I am planning to graft onto my plum tree as a replacement for Shiro. I have no idea if it will grow well in this climate.
Beauty has terrible texture, I agree with you. Makes great jam. I want to try juicing it since it is super productive, juicy, bad texture, flavorful and beautiful color skin which shows in the juice.
I find it too acidic, not enough sugar, not much flavor in flesh during that brief window when the texture doesn’t suck. I don’t thin, and it overbears, that may have some effect.
For jam and desserts with plum in them, we really like Italian Prune plums, available all year because they are so easy to freeze.
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I really liked beauty last year, but I tend to like sour and firm stone fruit, and I’m guessing I picked it on the early side for most people. it’s especially great for the season given that it ripens with methley. for me it spans from the last cherries to the first peaches, July 13-Aug 1 last year, a good window
The first time I had Italian plum sorbetto was a revelation. The flavor and color both much brighter than I expected.
Beauty skin is another level though if you want something intense. Like passion fruit level sweet-tart.
Like the opposite of mirabelle.
If I remember, and probably posted before, I made jam with bland grocery store nectarines mixed with beauty and it was outstanding. When my frost peach starts producing again I want to remember to try it with beauty, since it also isn’t the most flavorful.
How do you prep and store your frozen prunes? Washed, pitted, air excluded?
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Italian prune plums are the easiest fruit to pick and freeze that I’m aware of. I pick them when fully ripe; then they are washed, cut in half along the obvious line, frozen in a single layer on a tray, and finally packed into zipper freezer bags. They keep well for over a year, even though there is air in their bags.
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I had a very large Italian prune plum. I picked the fruit and froze it. Some pitted others were frozen whole. Upon defrosting, they were horrible. The smell alone prevented me from making jam or baking with them. What did you do to make them smell fresh after freezing ?
What did they smell like?
They smelled like prune plums when they were fresh or frozen, but they never smelled bad, even when frozen for over a year. The aroma is stronger after they’ve been frozen and thawed, but they still smell normal. I often eat plum coffee cake that my wife makes, and it is delicious.
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Tired, Old prunes. Not a fresh taste or look like frozen berries.
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I often vacuum seal when I freeze fruit.
I prefer drying them. That’s what prunes are for.
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They can nicely, too