Homemade Umeshu and a Summery Ume Spritz
An umeshu recipe from Kayoko Akabori of Umami Mart—and a fun summer cocktail to make with it
Hello from the land of June Gloom! I grew up on the Central Coast, so I’m used to a foggy, gray start to summer, but this month has seemed particularly dreary. I’m looking forward to a (hopefully) warmer and sunnier July—along with a trip to Santa Barbara to see family.
In the meantime, I have a couple of recipes for you this week: an umeshu recipe from Umami Mart co-founder Kayoko Akabori—who shared her story with us last week—and a summery spritz that I developed to use the finished spirit. While it might seem a little late in the season to be making umeshu, this year’s ume plum season was quite late. Last week, in fact, a Bay Area Japanese restaurant was offering to source fresh ume for their customers (you had to pre-order), and I’m still finding mail-order sources with fruit available. So, if you want to try something fun, make a jar of umeshu! (And if that seems like too long of a project, and you want more immediate access to the spirit, you can also get excellent umeshu from Umami Mart.)
Homemade Umeshu
This recipe comes from Kayoko Akabori, the co-owner of Umami Mart. When I visited her in the shop’s office a few weeks ago, I noticed that she had a bunch of different kinds of umeshu—liquor made from green ume plums—aging on shelves behind her desk, and she kindly gave me the proportions. She noted that you can really make umeshu with any spirit you like—from vodka to whiskey—but that she usually prefers to use shochu, so that’s what I’ve called for here. If you want to try another spirit, you can use the same proportions here. (You can also make it with sake, but you’ll need to refrigerate the mixture the entire time as there’s not enough alcohol to keep the fruit from going bad at room temperature.)
2 pounds firm green ume plums
2 pounds rock sugar
1.75 liters shochu
Wash the ume, then soak them in cold water for 2 hours. Drain the fruit, then use a toothpick to remove the stems (to make sure the umeshu won’t turn bitter).
Put the sugar in a 1-gallon glass jar (or divide it between two half-gallon jars), then top it with the plums. Add the shochu.
Age the umeshu from 6 months to 1 year; the longer the mixture ages, the more flavorful it will be.
California Ume Spritz
While I enjoy the classic ways of drinking fragrant, sweet-tart umeshu—on its own over ice or mixed with club soda—this past weekend’s summery weather inspired me to also try using it in a spritz. It turns out that umeshu’s naturally balanced flavor works so well with a little bit of sparkling wine that I think I’ve found my new “drink of the summer.” (Note: The nasturtiums in my yard are going strong, so I added one to the drink, along with a slice of lemon. While this was originally an aesthetic choice, I found that flower’s honey-like fragrance added a nice note to the drink each time I lifted the glass for a sip.)
1 ounce umeshu
4 ounces prosecco
1-2 ounces club soda
1 Meyer lemon round, to garnish
1 nasturtium flower, to garnish (optional)
Fill a wine glass with about ½ a cup of ice. Add the umeshu and top it with the prosecco and the club soda. Stir the drink gently (the umeshu is heavy and will sink), then garnish it with the lemon slice and nasturtium (if using).
From the Archives
The herbs in my kitchen garden are very, very happy these days, so I’ve been turning back to the fantastic herb-smothered egg recipe that Fanny Singer shared with us last summer. It’s a perfect meal at pretty much any time of day, and an excellent way to use up your basil, chives, shiso, marjoram—or any other soft herbs in your garden—before they bolt.
Photos: Georgia Freedman