I'm not keeping up with the digests very well, so sorry if this was
answered and I missed it.
I think I know which dried plums you are talking about. Those are Chinese
(I had Chinese friends that introduced me to them too).
Umeboshi are dried plums that are then pickled, so they are moist. They are
sold (and keep forever) refrigerated. There are two different "types" also,
a "hard" kind that look like little marbles and are crunchy, and a "soft" kind
that are made from larger plums and the fruit part is very mushy and very
sour. Very good as a "condiment" with hot rice (one thing I like better
with white rice, rather than brown).
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