One of Korea's Best Exports

[Hong Ssang Ri] Maesil Cheong (Plum Extract Syrup)

Hong Ssang Ri Plum Company produces Korea's finest plum products.

In 1965, Hong Ssang Ri (shown below) began to cultivate 2000 plum trees in the countryside of Gyeongnam Province. After decades of harvesting and experimenting, she's now become a grandmaster of plums. In fact, her Maesil-Cheong product has received distinction as one of Korea's finest export items (see video below).

Maesil-Cheong is the Korean word for plum extract syrup. It can be used for cooking and direct consumption. Hong Ssang Ri's Maesil-Cheong is made with 100% Korean-grown plums. The fresh plums are harvested and covered with oligosaccharide. It's then aged in traditional onggi jars for six months. The result is a delightfully tart and sweet extract. 

Many homecooks use Maesil-Cheong as a substitute for sugar in Korean cooking. That's because it's sweet like sugar but much healthier - packed with vitamins, antioxidants and aids in digestion. In fact, some people drop a few spoonfuls in water and drink it as iced plum tea. 

If you want to make your Korean recipes healthier, consider replacing the sugar with Maesil-Cheong.