Mulberries – Culinary Treasure, not Trash Tree

What’s tall and leafy, long-lived, produces sweet, dark-purple berries, and may be considered a “trash tree” by homeowners unfamiliar with its culinary value? That would be the mulberry tree‚Äîand maybe you’re overlooking one on your property. The mulberry, considered by some to be a messy nuisance tree, actually has culinary value for delicious wine, juice, jelly or desserts.

Mulberries have a delicate, mild flavor that is less acidic than black raspberries, which they somewhat resemble. Chances are you’ve seen the signs that local mulberries are beginning to ripen, usually starting in early June in the northeast United States. Just look for stained sidewalks beneath the trees‚Äîwhich drop the ripe berries‚Äîand dark-purple bird droppings splattering cars.

Birds love mulberries. According to a Cornell University Department of Horticulture publication, some people plant mulberries near cherry trees since the birds seem to prefer mulberries to other fruit that ripens around the same time. The birds know a good thing when they see it and so should those interested in gathering mulberries to make delicious treats.

Historical Fruit

Mulberries have a long history of being under appreciated. Mrs. M. Grieve, writing in A Modern Herbal in 1931, noted that ‚”references in various old chronicles show that the mulberry was far more esteemed in ancient times than at present.” Mentioned ‚”by most of the early Greek and Roman writers,” mulberries were known ‚”in the whole of Southern Europe from the earliest times,” she writes.

The berries are fragile, and best enjoyed right after picking, which is perhaps one reason they are no longer commonly eaten in this country. ‚”The main problem with mulberries is the softness of the fruit (which) is easily bruised and squashed, so that transporting and marketing the fresh fruit is very difficult. Harvesting is also difficult because the fruit tends to fall easily from the tree even when still immature,” according to the Cornell publication. One suggestion for collecting them is to simply spread a blanket beneath the tree and shake the branches. Of course, you can always wait and collect the fruits as they fall.

Prepare Berries Fresh or Freeze

Before using the berries, soak them first in a solution of 1 tablespoon salt to a quart of water‚Äîto get rid of any small insects‚Äîrinse and then gently toss them in a towel to dry. (Make sure it is a towel you don’t mind staining.) Although the berries are very seedy and juicy, you can process them to use in recipes more easily with these tips.

Mulberries do not store well fresh, but they can be frozen. Wash and dry them, then place them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. You need to take this step to ensure the berries don’t freeze into a solid mass. When the berries are frozen individually, you can place them in an airtight container to keep until you want to use them, for example in mulberry pie or jelly.