tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post1496977401037671003..comments2024-02-12T08:13:45.750+09:00Comments on Hiroyuki's Blog on Japanese Cooking: Ume Jam/梅ジャムHiroyukihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07075672590298671343noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-4375342535939158762013-08-19T12:57:12.219+09:002013-08-19T12:57:12.219+09:00Anonymous: Thanks for the trick. I will try your t...Anonymous: Thanks for the trick. I will try your trick if I fail to make ume jam properly in the futre. This year, I successfully made less bitter ume jam. It was consumed very quickly by my wife!Hiroyukihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07075672590298671343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-29873672131152800272013-08-14T17:31:29.913+09:002013-08-14T17:31:29.913+09:00Hiroyuki: Your jam looks so beautiful! I love the ...Hiroyuki: Your jam looks so beautiful! I love the forest-green color, a very summer dish! With some lemon zest would be the colors of Australia for rugby! :) <br /><br />A good trick to reduce bitterness in dishes is to add a pinch or two of salt. I don't really know the science behind it, but it works well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-37710739152706688252012-06-16T07:08:12.640+09:002012-06-16T07:08:12.640+09:00Kiki: One site says that removing stones from ume...Kiki: One site says that removing stones from ume is the toughest part (of ume jam making), so I skipped this step. I guess I was wrong. I hope I can get more ume (ripe ones) from my father so I can test to see if stones are the main source of bitterness.<br /><br />The jam and the stones are now gone, mostly consumed by my wife!Hiroyukihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07075672590298671343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-76038137282299326272012-06-15T22:25:34.779+09:002012-06-15T22:25:34.779+09:00My yellow wild plum has this too: unripe it is tou...My yellow wild plum has this too: unripe it is tough, sour and the fruit flesh next to the stone tastes very bitter (you will get a "hairy" tongue feeling too while eating them). I think all plums are from the same family at least. I would like to recommend to remove the stones before cooking plum jam. I don't know Ume, maybe this plum is also a variety where the stones will not come off easily so this will be an annoying task but has to be done. I am quite sure, the bitterness is caused by the stones.Fräulein Trudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11786420907067152211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-54128440099737970952012-06-14T20:53:30.947+09:002012-06-14T20:53:30.947+09:00Sissi: Yes, but I've never had ume raw, becau...Sissi: Yes, but I've never had ume raw, because they are slightly toxic!Hiroyukihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07075672590298671343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-6348993996271474052012-06-14T18:21:38.061+09:002012-06-14T18:21:38.061+09:00Ume are also acid even when ripe? (I was thiking a...Ume are also acid even when ripe? (I was thiking about unripe mirabelles, which are very acid and some varieties do not have spots, at least in France and here). I really must taste fresh ume one day.Sissihttp://www.withaglass.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-18514075579871494842012-06-14T06:57:19.985+09:002012-06-14T06:57:19.985+09:00muskratbyte and Sissi: I failed to remove aku (ha...muskratbyte and Sissi: I failed to remove aku (harsh, bitter, and other unwanted components) from ume properly, and that's the main reason why I got such a bitter jam. Ume stones may have had a minor contribution, but when I have them (they are still in the fridge), I sense little bitterness (they are sweet and sour).<br /><br />Sissi, I know nothing about "mirabelle plum". According to Wikipedia, <br />The mirabelle is identified by its small, oval shape, smooth-textured flesh, and especially by its dark yellow colour which becomes flecked in appearance. They are known for being sweet and full of flavour.<br /><br />Ume look like them, but differ in flavor. Ume are really, really acidic!Hiroyukihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07075672590298671343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-67444937108643613552012-06-14T00:17:38.280+09:002012-06-14T00:17:38.280+09:00I was going to say the same thing (about the stone...I was going to say the same thing (about the stones). I sometimes make jams from very sour fruits (sour cherries for example) and it never becomes bitter, only acid which is of course helped with more sugar. <br />On the other hand, as I said ume is a huge mystery to me!<br />By the way, everyone in Western countries compares unripe ume to unripe apricots, but after your posts now I think it is very similar (visusally and I think maybe also in consistency) to unripe mirabelle plum. I don't know if you have it in Japan. When it's ripe it has a very delicate taste and smells a bit like ripe melon. When it's unripe it's very acid and tougher.Sissihttp://www.withaglass.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3101980281470446262.post-74364480338300160922012-06-13T22:31:20.020+09:002012-06-13T22:31:20.020+09:00Just a thought, but do you think the stones could ...Just a thought, but do you think the stones could have contributed to the bitterness?muskratbytehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408117945590904056noreply@blogger.com