“White and yellow, kill a fellow.
Purple and blue, good for you.
Red… could be good, could be dead.”
Survival expert, Mykel Hawke, mnemonic for remembering which berries are safe to eat in the wild.
Now when it comes to berries in the wild, I am one to admit that I am clueless as to the species, and safety, of varieties found in Utah. Except juniper berries which I have often seen while adventuring to explore ruin sites; and have used juniper ash when baking indigenous based recipes.
Here is a list of berries native to Utah:
Serviceberry (Amelanchier): Aka Saskatoon or Juneberry, these sweet, dark blue berries are common in high mountain valleys and ripen in mid-summer.
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana): Aka Bitter Cherry is very popular for preserves and jellies
Elderberry (Sambucus cerulea): Large shrubs producing clusters of blue berries, often used for jams.
Golden Currant (Ribes aureum): A very hardy native bush that produces yellow-to-black berries.
Oregon Grape (Mahonia repens): A low-growing, groundcover shrub with tart blue berries, often found in mountain areas.
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus): Similar to a raspberry, but flatter and softer.
Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea): Often found along rivers, producing bright red or yellow berries.
Bearberry/Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): A trailing, low-growing woody plant with red berries.
Truth be told, the only berries I have seen, for sale, were chokecherry in a jam form, and elderberry, in capsule or gummy form. If there is a place, within San Juan County, where the berries can be purchased, in whole form, or any other way, I’d really love to know. In local markets, the typical berries, known to the majority of Americans, are: strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry. Oh, I just heard someone ask, “What about cherries, since chokecherry is listed as a berry?”
Cherries have pits in the middle that cannot be eaten, so classified as stone fruits. Berries have seeds in the middle, or coating the outside, and the whole fruit can be eaten, seeds and all. Chokecherries grow on a shrub, and indigenous peoples used the dried berries in pemmican; a mixture of dried meat, fruit, and fat. The berries were also cooked to create juice and pastes, which were used to help with respiratory and digestive issues.
All the berries we find in stores must be grown, and shipped into, Utah from other states as they are not drought resistant. So, fresh or frozen, we make due with what we can purchase.
However, and I mentioned this in my mushroom article from November 8, 2023, it would be wonderful if there were classes, and actual outings into our wonderous outdoors, on foraging wild edibles. I am not the only person saying we need more outdoor activities besides hiking, camping, ATVing, etc., so outdoor experts, what say you about starting food foraging classes?
Ah, so the recipe I will be sharing will contain a very popular berry indeed, the blueberry. They are little bombs loaded with antioxidants that explode within the body to help reduce the risk of: cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. They have an anti-inflammatory property to reduce joint pain, act as prebiotics to reduce gastrointestinal issues, and strengthen blood vessels in the back of the eyes that helps to improve vision. These little blue-purplish beauties pack one heck of a healthful punch. By the way, out in the wild, the berry most similar to blueberries is the serviceberry. Growing on native shrubs, they are sweet, purple-black, round berries that taste like a mix of blueberry and apple, with a hint of almond. They are drought-tolerant, common in canyons, and make excellent jams, jellies, and pies.
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| With extra blueberries, made two rustic pies of apples and blueberries. |
The recipe for Lemon Blueberry Loaf is simple, can be made into muffins as well, and delicious with or without the glaze. The sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemons balance out to give the taste buds a zesty treat.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf
Ingredients:
2/3 cup (12 Tbsp.) melted butter
2 cups sugar (or equal non-calorie sweetener; I use Splenda baking blend)
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour (+1/4 cup for high altitude)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
4 Tbsp. of grated lemon peel (fresh, or reconstituted dry)
2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
Glaze
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F; spray, with baking spray, three 8-inch loaf pans, or line muffin tins with paper liners (16-18 standard size, 12 large size).
In a medium bowl, blend the butter with the sugar, lemon juice and eggs until smooth.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add egg mixture and milk to dry ingredients; stir until well combined.
Fold in lemon peel and blueberries.
Spoon mixture into loaf pans, 3/4s full; or same for muffin liners.
Bake 55-60 minutes for loaves, 15 to 18 minutes for muffins; or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
Move loaves and/or muffins to baking rack to fully cool before spooning glaze over tops.
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So folks, remember to chew your berries well, as you don’t want to be choking on them.
Mary Cokenour
