Which kind of fruit is a mirabelle?

The mirabelle plum, also known as the mirabelle prune (Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca), is the edible drupaceous fruit of the mirabelle plum tree, a cultivar of the plum tree of the genus Prunus. It is believed that the plum was cultivated from a wild fruit grown in Anatolia.

The mirabelle is identified by its small, oval shape, smooth-textured flesh, and especially by its red, 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 pies, and its juice is commonly fermented for wine or distilled into plum brandy. Ninety percent of mirabelle plums grown commercially are made into either jam (70%) or eau de vie (20%). The plums are also excellent when eaten fresh.

The mirabelle reaches maturity and is harvested from July to mid-September (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.