I have to be honest with y'all, I do not like summertime. Its incredibly too hot and humid for me. I am simply not built to handle it. But what I do love is all the abundant fungi and flora there is to enjoy. I am eager everyday to wander through the forest to find something new to investigate and hopefully to eat.
I am the type of forager that wants to try everything at least once. I never want large quantities of goodies because I love sharing with all the other life forms on this earth. So I take a little, try it in a meal and share the flavors of summer with everyone so that they will want to take care of nature as much as I do.
I have never quite picked wild berries before growing up as a child so I am learning now at the young age of 24 what juicy fruit is out there. The three main berries for me that are singing on the corner of every neighborhood, lining every highway and decorating every trail are mulberries, blackberries and wineberries.
Each of these berries grow wild and in abundance so I never quite worry about taking too much because my arms can only reach so far. Mulberries grow on large trees. Blackberries grow on thorn bushes. Wineberries grow on hairy, prickly bushes. All delicious with sweet, mild flavors and can be eaten freshly plucked if you aren't a clean freak.
So to showcase my newfound love for these summer berries I am sharing with y'all three recipes: Wild Berry Galette, Wild Berry Jam and the Muddled Mulberry.
Wild Berry Galette
Ingredients:
1 store bought, vegan pie crust
2 cups summer berries of choice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Method:
Place berries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch into a saucepan on low heat
Cook the filling for 7-10 minutes until it slow bubbles. Stir periodically.
When finish, allow to cool for 10 minutes while preheating oven to 400F
Roll out pie crust onto baking sheet with parchment paper and place filling into the center
Fold up edges however design you like
Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes and allow to cool for 15.
Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Wild Berry Jam
Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh, clean berries of choice
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of pectin
Method:
Coat berries in sugar in a bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes
Transfer berries into a saucepan on low heat
Add lemon juice and pectin
Mash berries while it begins to bubble
Continue to stir periodically for 10 minutes
Transfer into a glass jar
Allow time for it to cool and thicken
Enjoy over toast!
Muddled Mulberry
Ingredients:
2oz of Livener by Three Spirit Drinks
1/5 cup of fresh mulberries
A couple purple basil leaves
6oz of sparkling water
Ice
Method:
Add Livener, mulberries, and basil into mixer
Using a muddler, mash it all together
Close the top and give it a good shake
In a glass, pour sparkling water over ice and pour the muddled mulberry mixer into cup.
Stir, sip and savor this delicious, alcohol free summer drink!
I hope y'all are having a wonderful summer and enjoy these delicious treats as a gift from Mother Nature. Drink lots of water, wear sunscreen and happy foraging!
xoxo Carri