Mirabelle
Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca · Rosaceae · also known as Mirabelle plum, Mirabelle de Lorraine, Cherry plum (loosely)
Tiny golden plums, sweet with a honeyed tartness, that ripen by the tonne in France's Lorraine — where 70% of the world's crop becomes tarts, jam, and a famous crystal-clear eau-de-vie.
At a glance
- Taste
- Sweet and richly aromatic with a bright honey-and-apricot tang and a small freestone; the thin golden skin sometimes carries a red blush and a subtle almond note.
- Origin
- Asia Minor; famously cultivated in Lorraine, northeastern France
- Grown in
- France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria
- Peak season
- Summer
- Notable varieties
- Mirabelle de Metz, Mirabelle de Nancy
Sensory & practical profile
Taste fingerprint
- Sweetness
- Tartness
- Aroma
- Juiciness
- Firmness
Approximate, at peak ripeness · 0–5
- Ripe when
- Deep gold, often red-freckled, soft, and intensely fragrant; underripe fruit is pale and firm.
- How to eat
- Eat ripe out of hand (the small stone slips free), or bake into a tart and clafoutis; the surplus distills into brandy.
- Typical price
- Everyday
Around seven in ten of the world's mirabelles grow in French Lorraine, which celebrates the tiny gold plum with a festival in Metz and protects its name under European law.
When it's in season, by region
| Region | Peak months |
|---|---|
| Europe | Aug–Sep (Lorraine's short, intense season) |
How to select & store
Picking a ripe one
Choose deep golden fruit, sometimes red-speckled, that is soft and very fragrant; pale yellow-green fruit is underripe. Ripe mirabelles bruise easily, so handle gently.
Storing it
A day or two at room temperature — they are highly perishable. The Lorraine harvest is processed fast into tart, jam, and eau-de-vie.
Practical uses
🍽️ Culinary
- Mirabelle tart (tarte aux mirabelles) — the Lorraine classic
- Jam, compote, and clafoutis
- Eau-de-vie de mirabelle, a celebrated clear fruit brandy
- Eaten fresh at peak, out of hand
🌿 Health & traditional
- Light and easy to digest; enjoyed as food, not medicine
🎎 Cultural
- Lorraine grows the vast majority of the world's mirabelles and holds an annual mirabelle festival in Metz
- Mirabelle de Lorraine carries protected geographical status (PGI)
Eating mirabelle: what to know
What regular consumption looks like
Mirabelle is mostly water with natural sugars, a little fibre, and assorted micronutrients — a hydrating everyday addition to your overall fruit intake rather than a standout for any one nutrient.
Sensible amounts
A typical fruit serving is roughly a handful, one medium fruit, or about 80 g, and two or more varied fruit servings a day is a sensible everyday pattern.
Evidence & conditions
As a whole fruit, Mirabelle contributes fibre, vitamins, and beneficial plant compounds, but it has not been shown to treat or prevent any specific condition — so it is best enjoyed as part of a healthy diet rather than as a remedy.
Safety notes
- The stone (kernel) contains natural cyanide-releasing compounds — eat the flesh, not the seed.
Mirabelle: frequently asked questions
What does mirabelle taste like?
Sweet and richly aromatic with a bright honey-and-apricot tang and a small freestone; the thin golden skin sometimes carries a red blush and a subtle almond note.
When is mirabelle in season?
Mirabelle is typically in season Europe (Aug–Sep (Lorraine's short, intense season)). Peak months shift between the northern and southern hemispheres.
How do you eat mirabelle?
Eat ripe out of hand (the small stone slips free), or bake into a tart and clafoutis; the surplus distills into brandy.
How do you know when mirabelle is ripe?
Deep gold, often red-freckled, soft, and intensely fragrant; underripe fruit is pale and firm.
Is mirabelle good for you?
Mirabelle is mostly water with natural sugars, a little fibre, and assorted micronutrients — a hydrating everyday addition to your overall fruit intake rather than a standout for any one nutrient.
How much mirabelle should you eat?
A typical fruit serving is roughly a handful, one medium fruit, or about 80 g, and two or more varied fruit servings a day is a sensible everyday pattern.
For a few weeks each late summer, the orchards of Lorraine in northeastern France glow gold — tiny mirabelle plums ripening by the tonne, filling markets, tart shells, jam pots, and eventually bottles of crystal-clear eau-de-vie. Around 70% of the world’s mirabelles grow in this one corner of France, which protects the name and throws an annual festival in Metz.
Small, golden, and fleeting
A ripe mirabelle is barely bigger than a large cherry, sweet and honeyed with a bright apricot tang and a small freestone that slips right out. Its highest fresh use is simply eating it warm off the tree, but it bruises in an instant and keeps for barely a day, which is why so much of the crop is cooked or distilled. The tarte aux mirabelles is the definitive dish; the clear eau-de-vie de mirabelle is among the most prized fruit brandies in France. For its green, even sweeter relative, see the greengage; both are subspecies of the domestic plum.
