Plum work after two years. Until the plum syrup brings a sense of freshness

I couldn't make plum syrup last year.
This year, I prepared it with my children using Goji plums.
This is a record of the season and the plum syrup that I carefully nurtured over two weeks.

Sunday, June 15th

I am about to make plum syrup for the first time in two years. I couldn't make it last year because the timing didn't work out, but this year my husband and children requested that I make it again. I was also starting to feel like I wanted to drink some. I'm taking on the challenge after a long time.

What you need

Actually, I also bought green plums at a farmers' market. It's for making plum syrup. The variety I bought is called Goji plum, which feels firmer than the Nanko plums that are commonly available. It seems to be the type that releases a lot of extract when made into plum syrup. I'm already looking forward to seeing how much syrup I'll get.

My family is very excited to get the kids involved and make delicious plum syrup! We are starting the process with the children right away.

First, we gently wash the plums.

After draining the well-washed plums and carefully wiping them one by one with kitchen paper, we remove the stems. I did the detailed work using bamboo skewers together with the children. Since all the plums were beautiful, I used them all. Usually, there are some plums that don't make the cut, but this time they are excellent.

Once the stems are removed, it's finally time for the rock sugar.
We use 1kg, the same amount as the plums.

We put the plums and rock sugar into the jar, which we wiped inside with kitchen paper soaked in white liquor, alternating between them.

Once everything is in, add 1 cup (200ml) of vinegar (apple cider vinegar is actually better, but we use rice vinegar at home). After closing the lid, shake the jar to mix.

From now on, I will keep an eye on it while shaking the jar every day.

Monday, June 16

The extract is coming out and the moisture level has increased. The greenness of the plums has faded. The fruits not submerged in the extract have turned brown. But this is normal. There is no problem. I am looking forward to seeing how much extract will come out.
Become delicious.

Tuesday, June 17

Most of the plum fruits are on the verge of being submerged in the extract. I can't believe so much extract has already come out. The way the rock sugar sways and dissolves is beautiful, and I could watch it forever. The plum fruits, which were so plump, have started to show a few wrinkles.

Wednesday, June 18

Most of the plum fruits are now submerged in the syrup. Even when I shake and mix it, the rock sugar and the plum fruits separate. Since the plum fruits are lighter, they float in the syrup. Compared to the beginning, the plum fruits have become one size smaller. The round fruits have shrunk, and the wrinkles and indentations have become distinct.

Thursday, June 19

The rock sugar has become smaller. It seems to be dissolving well into the syrup. The wrinkles on the plum fruits have increased. Many fine wrinkles have formed, and you can see them floating completely in the syrup.

Friday, June 20

The plum fruits have shrunk further, and the extract has increased. The rock sugar has become even smaller, and the bottom of the jar is visible. The way the wrinkles have formed on the plum fruits reminds me of something, but I can't remember what. I spent five minutes just observing the extract slowly oozing out from the plum fruits.

Saturday, June 21

The rock sugar has become even smaller. The extract has risen, and the space between the plums and the rock sugar has widened. Seeing the syrup rise this high, my second son says, "You know, it's okay to taste it now." But it's not finished yet. Don't rush, don't rush, take a little break.

Sunday, June 22

The rock sugar has become completely small. Perhaps because the temperature is high, I feel like the rock sugar is dissolving quickly. The plum syrup is being targeted by my second son again today. When I told him it wasn't finished yet because the rock sugar hadn't completely dissolved, he puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction. There's no point in rushing, so please wait a little longer.

Monday, June 23

My second son watches the jar, wondering, "I wonder if the rock sugar will melt soon." I tell him, "It won't taste any better just by rushing it." I have a feeling the battle with my second son over the plum syrup will continue for a while. Looking closely at the plums, some have fine wrinkles, while others have large ones. I guess it's just the personality of each plum.

Tuesday, June 24

Finally, all the rock sugar has melted. My second son says, "Can we drink it already?" However, the plum extract is still coming out. I told him, "Let's wait a little longer." From here on, I've decided to keep an eye on it and wait until around Saturday. The syrup is so clear, and it somehow made me happy.

Saturday, June 28

The release of the extract has calmed down, so it's finished.

My second son, who has been waiting impatiently, joins me in taking out the plum fruits.

The color of the syrup is lighter than when I made it with Nanko plums in the past. I wonder if the taste is different too. I'm looking forward to tasting it.

Now, let's see how much syrup we got from the start. I'll weigh the plum fruits I took out.

The initial plums were 1kg. They have decreased to 328g. That means 672g of extract came out and turned into syrup. My second son also did the mental math and got "672g" right, looking happy. I'm satisfied too, as it seems the extract has been thoroughly drawn out.

Now, for the long-awaited tasting.

When I dilute it with water and drink it, the sharp acidity stands out, yet it is still quite sweet. It has a refreshing quality that makes you feel alert when you drink it, and it's very delicious. The acidity of the plums comes through well, making it a recommended flavor for hot days. My second son, who tasted it with me, is also overjoyed. If you mix it with carbonated water to make plum soda, the freshness stands out even more and it becomes delicious.

Compared to when I made it with Nanko plums, it turned out with a sharper flavor. I feel like the acidity was a bit mellower when I used Nanko plums. With this plum syrup made from Gojiro plums, I feel like the plum flavor really stands out. That feels very summery, and I like it.

I looked forward to the two weeks it took to finish every single day. Even on days when the rain or extreme heat made me feel down, the time I spent peeking at the plum jar every morning allowed me to feel the season, and for me, it was a luxurious moment. Plus, it was interesting to see how the plums changed little by little each day. The taste of the plum syrup I made after two years, taking my time, was exceptional.

I am sure this syrup will be gone by the time autumn arrives. That is why I am planning to buy Gojiro plums again next year and prepare the syrup.

Thank you for reading this far.
I hope you also have moments to enjoy the season in your summer.