Plums, related to apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, are drupes, or fleshy fruits with a single pit in the center and a thin flexible skin. Plums grow on every continent except Antarctica and come in more varieties than any other drupe. Wild American plums were among the foods eaten at the first Thanksgiving dinner, although they were soon replaced by European varieties.

• Fresh plums are popular eaten raw for snacking.
• Plums may be added to salads, baked goods and desserts.
• Sauces or preserves made from plums may be used with poultry and in Chinese sweet-and-sour dishes.
• Certain varieties of plums are dried to make prunes.

Plums come in almost every color of the rainbow including red, yellow, lime green and bluish-black. More than 100 varieties are cultivated in the United States. California and the Pacific Northwest produce the majority of the domestic crop, but the Midwest and New England grow a variety of plums as well. Plum varieties are categorized as Japanese and European.

Japanese-type plums are clingstone varieties, meaning that the flesh adheres to the pit and must be cut away. They range in color from red to green to yellow. Their flesh is juicy and yellow to reddish in color. The most common varieties follow:

• Santa Rosa is a popular Japanese variety with crimson-red skin and a sweet, tart flavor. It accounts for about one third of the domestic crop.
• Kelsey, Wickson and greengage are green and yellow-skinned Japanese varieties.
• Other Japanese varieties include Red Beaut, El Dorado, French, Friar, Nubiana, Queen Rosa, Casselman, Laroda and Simka.

European-type plums are freestone varieties, meaning that the pit is easily removed from the flesh. They are smaller, less juicy and less flavorful than Japanese varieties and their skins are always blue or purple. European varieties are used for making prunes and are well suited for baking and stewing.

• Damson plums are a small, tart European variety usually used for making prunes and preserves.
• Other European-type plums are the Empress, Italian, President, Stanley and Tragedy.

Various varieties of plums are available from May through October. The sweeter, juicier Japanese-type varieties are the first to arrive at markets, peaking in supply in August. The European-type varieties, used more for baking, cooking and preserves, come to the market in the fall.

Choose plump plums with a good color for their variety. Ripe plums yield to gentle pressure. Firm plums can be ripened at home. Avoid those that are bruised, discolored or have soft spots or shriveled skin. A dull white film, or "bloom," over the skin is harmless and is nature's way of waterproofing the surface.

1 pound plums = 6 to 8 medium; 3 cups sliced or chopped.

To ripen plums at home, place in a closed paper bag and let them stand at room temperature until ripe. Ripe plums may be stored in the refrigerator up to three or four days.

Wash plums under cold running water. To remove the pits from freestone plums, cut the plums in half around the pit, then twist the halves in opposite directions to separate. Pull out the pit. Clingstone varieties are more difficult to pit. Slice or quarter these plums, using a paring knife to separate the fruit from the pit. Both fresh and cooked plums are usually eaten with the skins left on. If you wish, a plum may be peeled after blanching it for about 30 seconds in boiling water and plunging it in cold water.