#11 - Mirabelle, a round yellow plum
If you look into a supermarket in France, you will see many different types of peaches and plums.
The mountains of fruit piled up seem to have an overwhelming presence.
The French way is to choose your favorite from a mountain of vegetables and fruits.
This is different from the Japanese style, where each item is carefully wrapped and arranged.
Among these fruits, there is one that stands out in particular: the yellow, round plum.
That's... Mirabelle .
This is a specialty of Lorraine, a region in the east of France that is famous for its quiche.
It is very delicate and it is rare to have the opportunity to eat it fresh and raw.
It is usually made into tarts or preserved in syrup. Because it contains a lot of water, it is not very suitable for drying. Anyone who has lived in Nancy or Lorraine has probably tried Mirabelle tart or Mirabelle jam at least once. This plum is so beloved by the locals that there is even a Mirabelle Festival. Incidentally, Mirabelle is sometimes called Western plum or Western plum in Japan, and is a precious fruit that is only found in Europe.
If you ask a French greengrocer, they will tell you, "Mirabelles are known for their golden color and elegant, gentle sweetness. But their season is very short. They are in season at the end of summer, lasting about six weeks."
When we asked a pastry chef, he said, "Mirabelles go really well with sweets. So whether you make them into tarts, mousses, pies, or even just jam, they have a great color and, above all, an excellent balance of gentle flavors." Mirabelles are a fascinating fruit that is loved in France!
The perfectly round, sun-like Mirabelle fruit was originally grown in China.
It is said that it was first introduced to France by a prominent figure around the 15th century, and now the Lorraine region produces approximately 80 % of the world's Mirabelle grapes.
When I asked everyone why Mirabelle was called Mirabelle, they all had different answers.
There must be many theories as to the origin of the name " Mirabelle ."
The first person suggested the following theory: "It's a combination of the Italian words myron , which means fragrance, and balanos, which means nut. Apparently it used to be called mirabolano , and in the 17th century it was called mirabella ."
The second person explained that it comes from the Latin word mirabilis , which means beautiful.
The third person offered a different theory: "Mirabelle comes from the name of an important person. Oh, but the fruit is mirabelle and the important person's name is mirabel . It's just written a little differently."
The fourth person offered a different theory: "It's a town. There's a small town in the south of France called Mirabel . Apparently they've been cultivating mirabelles since around 1649. "
Anyway, I knew I was loved.
Come to think of it, the greengrocer said...
It has been cultivated as an official specialty in the Lorraine region since 1762 .
Apparently, all the grapes were wiped out by an insect called the grapevine aphid, and in 1920 the damaged vineyards were replaced with mirabelle vineyards. Sadly, as time passed and new food styles emerged, mirabelle was forgotten. It wasn't until 1988 that a young farm manager decided, "We must protect mirabelle!", that mirabelle became a fruit beloved by the French, and once again began to cultivate it.
Enjoy Mirabelle, a sweet that is like the sun and will soothe the soul of anyone who eats it!
