Mulberry Preserves
Put the Mulberries in a jar, where they can't stain anything.If you don't remember seeing a mulberry tree you've probably noticed the deep purple mess it leaves on sidewalks. The debate continues over the mulberry tree. Is its fruit friend or foe? Mulberry trees liter the ground and your driveway, car, shoes, and anything that comes near, across yards nationwide. The fruit falls whether its ready or not, and doesn't really taste ripe until its final few weeks. When it gets around to ripening watch out plump juicy black berries will bombard your lawn every time the wind blows. The berries are sweet mild tasting fruit that gel nicely with some lemon. Collect and jam them saving your lawn from the purple scourge and make something tasty for your toast.
Coming to a yard near youMulberry Preserves
1.5 lb mulberries
1 lemon and zest
3/4 cup sugar
Rinse berries thoroughly and remove stems. Mulberries have unfortunate short stubby stems that don't come off too easily. I found I had to pinch them at the base to remove, which often resulted in berry splatter. Where an apron when you do this.
Caught red-handed picking mulberries
Bring berries, sugar, lemon juice, and half the lemon's zests to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Mulberries are also loaded with seeds, but they float on top of the pan. Scoop them up and throw away as you watch the fruit reduce. Preserves will be ready when the mulberries have thickening more than half. Stir in remaining lemon zest and remove from heat. Cool and store in a glass container, or can it in mason jars.
1.5 lb mulberries
1 lemon and zest
3/4 cup sugar
Rinse berries thoroughly and remove stems. Mulberries have unfortunate short stubby stems that don't come off too easily. I found I had to pinch them at the base to remove, which often resulted in berry splatter. Where an apron when you do this.
Caught red-handed picking mulberriesBring berries, sugar, lemon juice, and half the lemon's zests to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Mulberries are also loaded with seeds, but they float on top of the pan. Scoop them up and throw away as you watch the fruit reduce. Preserves will be ready when the mulberries have thickening more than half. Stir in remaining lemon zest and remove from heat. Cool and store in a glass container, or can it in mason jars.
If you don't pick this it will plummet to the ground
Perfect timing, one year hence. I collected berries for 2 days, carefully plucking ripe and near ripe fruit from my tree, pulling off the stubby stems, double washing, lightly spinning dry then refrigerating in bowls lined with paper towels. 2 days later the tree is getting far ahead of me but the fruit is getting sweeter so I may start all over again. Evidence of this improving sweetness: A friend was over yesterday and could not be distracted from spending almost 15 minutes plucking and eating straight from the tree.
ReplyDeleteWe use fingernail clippers for the stems plop em in water to rinse and put them in a bowl. We hang tarps under the trees to catch them. After a couple of pies and a few jars of jam we let the birds have the rest.
ReplyDeleteAnon has it down! Good tips, thanks.
ReplyDelete