EDEN Umeboshi Plums are made from unripe green plums Prunus
mume, harvested toward the end of June when their juice is the
most acidic. The plums are first washed and soaked overnight to
remove bitterness, before placing them in large wooden kegs with
alternating layers of sea salt. The salt immediately begins to
draw juice from the plums. To keep the plums submerged in the
juice, a wooden lid weighted with stones is place on the top.
The combination of salt and pressure extracts the juice creating
the pickle brine. The plums are kept in this salty, dark,
unheated environment for one month. Desirable lactic acid
bacteria quickly multiply under these conditions inhibiting the
growth of undesirable microorganisms and enzymes. The plums are
then removed, placed on wooden racks and left outside to sun dry
for four to seven days depending upon the weather. Red shiso
leaves are placed in the brine turning it a brilliant red. The
sun dried plums are replaced in this red brine where they soak
for four or five more da