Mulberries
Today I went out and collected mulberries and I can’t wait to get started making a variety of treats, freezing and drying them. What are mulberries? What can you use them for? Read on.
What are Mulberries?
Mulberries are a type of berry that comes in three colors black, red and white. They are pretty yummy. Both humans and animals seem to enjoy them. Not sure of any look alikes.
You can plant mulberries in your yard but I don’t have to have the room, so I forage them from a local source.
When Can You Harvest Mulberries?
Depends. According to the type and where you live. Some spring, some in summer and some are fall varieties. Mine is the fall, black color that has a hint of red at times. In Wisconsin, the trees are littered with black mulberries from the last few weeks of August into the first few weeks of September.
You can tell they are ready because flocks of birds will be enjoying the berries.
How to Store Them
1.) Refrigerate Them: Mulberries can be placed unwashed in the refrigerator and kept for up to four days. Use them to make fresh fruit salads.
2.) Freeze Them: Spread a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Place the mulberries in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the berries to freezer bags.
3.) Dry Them: Sun dry them, oven dry or microwave dry the berries. Dried berries can be used a variety of ways.
4.) Make Jams & Jellies
It doesn’t matter if you eat mulberries fresh from the refrigerator or frozen. Once you taste mulberries you will be finding ways to incorporate them into all your meals.
