When the Rainy Season Is Over, It's Time to Dry Umeboshi Under the Sun

Yes, finally the rainy season is over and real summer is here! Huuummmmiiiiiddd humid humid every day... This humidity drains all of my energy out of my body.

Anyway, when fresh plums and akashiso leaves are out, I pickled them with salt and rest them until the rainy season is over. I had to dry the plums and the leaves for 3 days. For the first 2 days, I just need to dry them only under the sunshine but on the 3rd day, it has to be over night.

Here is some akashiso leaves before I pickled.

This is the photo form the first day.

After 3 days, plums got shrunk a bit.

Now I need to put all the plums and the leaves back into akaumesu, which is salted water produced while pickling.

And the leaves!

It looks like umeboshi, doesn't it? However, it just tastes salt for now. I've got to wait until winter! See you then, my umeboshi!!

I hope it'll go well!