Editing Mirabelle plum (section)

==Description==

The mirabelle is identified by its small, oval shape, smooth-textured flesh, and especially by its red,<ref name="Kitchen">{{Cite book |last=Titchmarsh |first=Alan |title=The Kitchen Gardener |date=2008 |publisher=BBC Books |page=247}}</ref> or dark yellow colour which becomes flecked in appearance. They are known for being sweet and full of flavour. The fruit is primarily used in [[fruit preserves]] and dessert [[pie]]s,<ref name="Kitchen" /> and its juice is commonly fermented for [[wine]] or distilled into plum [[brandy]]. Some 90% of mirabelle plums grown commercially are made into either jam (70%) or [[eau de vie]] (20%).{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The mirabelle reaches maturity and is harvested from July to mid-September in the 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.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Mirabellen.jpg|Mirabelle plums
|970718-DriedGoldenPlum-IMG 7527-2.jpg|Dried Mirabelle plums
}}