Plums are varied and colourful: when ripe, they can be yellow, green, orange, red, purple, blue-black or any number of shades in between. Some are available year-round but you'll find more varieties in late summer and early autumn.
Always look for plums with smooth skin; many also have a greyish-white 'bloom' that is an indication of ripeness. The flesh should be firm, with a slight give.
The consistency of the flesh differs according to the variety. Some are watery (but still sweet) - these are best for eating raw. Others are drier and more intense - better for cooking or making into preserves or prunes.
Plums are easy to prepare: just cut into two pieces, twist the halves to loosen one side from the pit, then use a spoon or melon baller to prise the pit from the other piece. They can be simmered with sugar and a vanilla bean or a few wide strips of orange zest to make plum jam; cook the mixture further and you have plum 'cheese' - firm enough to be thinly sliced and served with cheese. Plum-swirl ice cream is made by chopping the fruit and simmering with some sugar and a bit of cinnamon then stirring the cooled mixture into freshly churned vanilla ice cream.
If the plums aren't ripe, poach the halved or quartered fruit in sugar syrup with a vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Cook until it's tender then cool in the syrup, refrigerate for a night and serve with natural yogurt.
