Mulberry Season

greyfurball
greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

I have two mulberry trees and a row of mulberry bushes on my property which I have never made any use of... except to make my pure white dog the happiest dog on Earth, she loved to roll and roll in them as they fell to the ground. Tie-die purple was always the end result.

But time constrainsts just didn't allow one more project on the daily agenda.

But now I have more time and I am interested in just what can I do with them? Anyone have any good recipes? I prefer low sugar or no sugar but I could probably change them up a bit to substitute for the lack of sweetener in any recipe.

I don't know why but I've just never thought of those bushes/trees as supplying a good source of food. Over 40 years of wasted fruit. But then, the birds sure did make plenty of use of them so all was not lost!

Comments

  • blevinandwomba
    blevinandwomba Posts: 813 ✭✭✭✭

    Do you know what kind of mulberries you have? It sticks in my mind that there are three varieties. We have a variety the starts red and turns black, and a white variety with a purple flush. The black variety is tastier to me, especially when still slightly unripe. The white ones taste really insipid; reminds me of sweet corn.

    It shouldn't be hard to keep the sugar low; they tend to be bland rather than sour. In fact, I usually I pair them with a tarter fruit like gooseberries, citrus, or rhubarb. They make a nice pie filling that way.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @blevinandwomba

    Your question shows how much I have never paid any attention to mulberries. I never realized there was different colors.

    So I must have a variety which starts green, as they grow they turn a reddish-black and then upon maturity they are a deep purple. It's why I mentioned I had a tie-dye purple dog.

    I have some rhubarb in the freezer so I will give that a try. Thanks!

  • OhiohillsLouise
    OhiohillsLouise Posts: 120 ✭✭✭

    Mulberries make great wine!

  • nksunshine27
    nksunshine27 Posts: 343 ✭✭✭

    i have all three varieties. i use mine to make muffins, turnovers pies, jam , freeze dry and fruit rolls

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I love to eat mulberries right off the tree. And don't forget how useful the leaves are. They are very nutritious (calcium and magnesium), and the Chinese have made tea with them for centuries. You can even cook the tender leaves. (There may be some people that are sensitive to the latex from the stems.)

    We're heading into fall here, and I'm planning on sneaking some cuttings from a huge mulberry tree on public land.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I need to get mulberries. They should be coming out here soon and that is when I plan to clip a few from bushes at my brothers.

    I wonder if they would start like elderberries do?

  • Michelle D
    Michelle D Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We have all three varieties on our property.

    @greyfurball I know what you mean about the dog. My neighbors have a pure white dog that also loves the dark purple berries. Oddly enough he doesn't care for the white ones.

    I have used mulberries in several baking recipes. I usually pair them with something a little in the sweeter side so that I don't need to add sugar. I recently got my hands on a low sugar mulberry jam recipe. I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet.

    I usually don't get a chance to do much with the berries. Quite often they don't even make it all the way into the house. Our large family likes to eat as they pick.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @greyfurball Kombucha perhaps? Basket making for the dye. I wonder how it might stain wood..

  • Michelle D
    Michelle D Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @greyfurball please let us know what you end up doing with your mulberries.

    @Tave I did not know that the leaves are nutritious or even edible for that matter. I'm definitely going to have to dig into that. Thanks.

  • kfoto
    kfoto Posts: 108 ✭✭✭

    Im not sure what variety we have but at the farmers market this gal sold a purple mulberry and it was delicious. My daughter made a jam and frosting for her macaroons. I know there are good eating ones and bad.

  • nksunshine27
    nksunshine27 Posts: 343 ✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant i believe you can but you can also strt them from seed