Mirabelle plum

The mirabelle plum, also known as the mirabelle prune (Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca), is the edible drupaceous fruit of the mirabelle prune tree, a cultivar of the plum tree of the genus Prunus. It is believed that the plum was cultivated from a wild fruit grown in Asia Minor.

Description

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. The fruit is primarily used in jams and pies, and its juice is commonly fermented for wine or distilled into plum brandy. Ninety percent of mirabelle plums grown commercially are made into either jam (70%) or eau-de-vie (20%). The plums are also excellent when eaten fresh.

In Romania, mirabelles are usually eaten before they are ripe. This is when they are sour and hard, but they are still enjoyed all over the country. It is arguable whether or not the fruit is better when ripe.

The mirabelle reaches maturity and is harvested from July to mid-September (Northern Hemisphere). The traditional method of shaking the trees is now mechanized, but the principle remains the same: The ripe fruits are shaken loose and collected in a net under the tree.

Mirabelle (disambiguation)

Mirabelle most often refers to a type of small, yellow prune.

Mirabelle may also refer to:

See also

Mirabelle (London restaurant)

Mirabelle was a restaurant in the Mayfair area of London. First opened in 1936, it became popular during the 50s and 60s, with certain celebrities being regulars. Chef Marco Pierre White bought it and owned it from 1998 to 2007, during which time, reports of celebrities dining at the restaurant once more occurred. It was sold in 2007. It earned a Michelin star in 2008 under head chef Charlie Rushton, and the star was kept until its closure for refurbishment later in 2008. It has remained closed since.

History

The restaurant was first opened in 1936. The interior has a single main dining room, and two private dining rooms entitled the Pine Room and the Chinese Room, with the restaurant itself being based in basement with guests entering at street level and descending downstairs. The restaurant became popular following the Second World War, and in the 1950s and 1960s it was seen as the place to be. Regulars of the restaurant included Orson Welles and Winston Churchill. The restaurant was also used to entertain foreign guests of the British Government, such as in February 1962 when Lord Privy Seal Edward Heath dined with the Assistant Foreign Secretary of Yugoslavia.