For anyone living in the Midwest this time of year, you know that I am talking about the mulberry. Ubiquitous, messy, loved by birds, with plump purple fruit that stains - it's a mixed blessing. The fruit is sweet, nutrious, seedy, and free for the taking. I remember making mulberry jelly with my grandma. I'm guessing she made jelly instead of jam, so that she could simply skim out the seeds and stems. Yesterday morning, I made mulberry muffins. I started plucking off the little stems, then gave up. I recalled advice from another mulberry fan who said to leave them on. They disappear when baked. So I did. And I didn't (notice them, that is).
Got mulberries nearby? Just pick enough for your favorite blueberry muffin recipe. Swap out the fruit and enjoy! Here are some other interesting mulberry recipes.
Did you know? A variety of mulberry is the sole food source for the silkworm?
I don't think we have mulberries here in Oregon; but we have lots of blackberries that grow wild. Blackberry jelly is good, but definitely needs to be jelly and not jam.
ReplyDeletei was so jealous my hubby has access to area near the illinois river, while he is at work, and he gorged the other day on mulberries! nice post on an often overlooked fruit! cool to tell us about the disappearing stems:) hugs and thanks for sharing!:)
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting. I don't think I have ever eaten mulberries, but I will give them a try if I ever come across them.
ReplyDeleteThank for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteI love mulberries too! I have a huge tree in my back yard and noticed not only the birds like this fruit, but the deer, the squirrel, the ground hog and eastern box turtles!
ReplyDeleteI've never had them in muffins. What a neat idea! I mostly like to just go out and pick them off and eat them fresh. :)
Oh, Steph I love mulberries too. We had a tree - yes it got to be tree sized- growing in our yard when I was younger and boy did it make a mess. I'm not sure whatever happened to that tree, but when mom sold her house a few years back, it dawned on me that it was no longer there. Funny how I didn't miss it until the house was sold. Making jelly sounds like a good idea for it. One day I promise I'm going to learn.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of mulberries but they look delicious and blackberries are my favorite. By the way, I like the new profile picture with the hat!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I understand why some people don't want mulberry trees near their houses, I love them~ they bring up a fantastic childhood memory of climbing out the second-story bathroom window to the flat roof above the rec room and picking mulberries from the high branches. :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband's grandmother had a mulberry tree -- and i'm not sure she ever did anything with the fruit -- all I know is that the birds loved it!
ReplyDeleteMy kids love to pick mulberries off the trees on campus. I'm not sure if I've ever tried them myself. Not many make it home for me to taste, because the boys eat as they pick.
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