FRESH GREEN & RIPENING UME - HARVESTED WEEKEND SATURDAY 25 JAN 2025

Our Ume now available again to order. Fresh harvest of green AND ripening Ume fruit.

We have started harvesting again from second Ume orchard.

This is the main crop harvest start so it's a big crop and once it's all harvested/sold that will be the end for the 2025 Ume season.

North Island orders will send via NZPost Courier Overnight. South Island orders will send via PostHaste Courier (2 day delivery). Both will be non-signature deliveries unless you specify (it avoids a delivery delay if you are not there to sign).

All orders will be packed with ice pack to keep them as cool as possible in transit. 

Parcel tracking will be emailed once packed and ready to ship.

NOTE: Please ensure the freight option you choose matches your delivery address (pull down options). Selecting the incorrect freight option slows us right down sending your order. 

You are ordering in 1kg units.

Thank you so much for your order.

Enjoy making your 2025 edition of Umeshu/Umeboshi/Ume Syrup/Ume Jam.

We are growing red Shiso for you. The plants are still a bit small due to cold spring/start of summer but they will make good growth over then next few months. We intend to have both fresh and dehydrated Shiso (cut stems with foliage) available. These plants are grown outdoors in natural fertile soil (seed direct to soil) so are packed with flavour and colour, and all the great benefits of  infusing Shiso with your Umeboshi. 

BTW: did you know Ume trees are really thorny!

Make Umeshu with green Ume ...

Decide on the spirt you want to use. It could be a white spirit (gin, vodka) or a malt based spirit (whiskey, brandy), or a rice based spirit (sake, soju, shochu), or a spiced spirit (rum). Generally you are going to choose a spirit that you enjoy from the outset.

Decide on the sweetness level you want your Umeshu to be at. Japanese method is to add equal weight (1:1) Ume to rock Sugar. Thats way too sweet for me, so I reduce the sugar right down to 20-30% of fruit weight. Keep in mind you can always add sugar later, but you cant take out.

Prepare Ume - rinse Ume in cold water. Remove the small black fruit cap with a toothpick. Then dry fruit on a towel or tea towel

In clean dry dishwasher washed 1-2 size jars are the best- add Ume, then rock sugar, then fill to top with the spirit. You’ll likely be using 700 -1litre of spirit. Put lid on and leave for aprox 6-12 months before drinking. Record your ratios so once you start tasting, you can adjust.

Umeshu will just get better with age. The liquid will darken in colour which is part of the "aging" process. 20 year old Umeshu is usually opened with great ceremony! 

Pic #5 showing my jar of Umeshu made January 2023. 

Make Umeboshi with ripening Ume ...

It is easy to ripen green Ume. Just put them in a wide bowl or tray and let sit at room temperature covered with a tea towel. They will start to ripen (start turning yellow, become softer, juicier and you will smell the sweet ripening ume aroma). This process usually takes around 3-4 days but keep an eye on them every day and decide when to start your Umeboshi process. 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/umeboshi-japanese-sour-salted-plums-3895688