Plums

Store in crisper drawer once ripe

Pit, halve, and freeze on a tray before bagging

Ripen at room temperature until soft to touch

A ripe plum yields slightly to gentle pressure and smells fragrant

Halve plums lengthwise around the pit, then twist to separate

Fresh plums pair well with stone fruits, berries, almonds, and vanilla

Underripe plums are better for cooking down into jams or compotes

Buying hard plums expecting them to ripen quickly—they need 1–3 days at room temperature

Cooking fresh plums too long, which turns them mushy; add them late to desserts

Forgetting to remove the pit before eating or serving