Mulberry, Morus
species
Eat ripe mulberries fresh or
cooked in a variety of dishes.
In a good, rainy year, collecting
buckets full of mulberries for smoothies and pancakes is easy and can
be done in record time. But before collecting, be sure the berries
taste good. Like all plants, wild berries reflect their growing
environment and vary in taste and sweetness based on the soil type,
moisture levels, weather and other factors that influence their
growth. Some berries won’t be as sweet as others but all are high
in Vitamin C and essential minerals.
Mulberry trees are small to
medium-sized and can grow over 50 feet tall though they sometimes
resemble a large bush. In Texas, the most common mulberries include
the Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) which is usually found in
deeper soil, and the Texas Mulberry (Morus microphylla),
commonly found in the western half of the state. Both have edible
fruit that ripens to a dark, purplish-black color and resembles long,
thin blackberries. The White Mulberry (Morus alba) is not
native to Texas but does occur in our state and has varieties that
ripen to white, red or purple. Also, the paper mulberry (Broussonetia
papyrifera) is a distant relative and does not have edible fruit.
Mulberry leaves alternate along
the stems and appear highly variable from tree to tree or even on
leaves from the same tree. They are generally shiny on the top and
are heart-shaped, ovate or lobed like mittens with serrated edges.
Mulberries are easy to harvest by
simply plucking the ripe berries from the tree. They ripen randomly
over several weeks from April to early June. Mulberries can be eaten
fresh, even with the tiny green stem attached, or they can be frozen
for later use. Like most berries, mulberries can be used to create
delicious smoothies, sauces, pies, jams, juices and mixed drinks.
They will remain fresh for a couple of days in the refrigerator or
can be frozen for up to a year.
Mulberry Sorbet
Makes approximately 1 ½ cups
sorbet
A little bit of mulberry
sorbet on a hot Texas afternoon is perfectly sweet and refreshing!
3 c ripe mulberries
Juice of 1 lemon
1 c simple syrup (1 c. sugar and 1 c. water boiled for a few minutes, then cooled)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 c simple syrup (1 c. sugar and 1 c. water boiled for a few minutes, then cooled)
Prepare the syrup by adding 1 cup
of sugar and 1 cup of water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring
frequently until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.
Puree the mulberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor.
Stir in syrup and pour into a metal pan and freeze. When mixture is
frozen, remove from pan and blend in food processor or blender. Scoop
into airtight dish and refreeze. Serve with a few ripe mulberries
sprinkled on top.
