As I do every year, I have eagerly welcomed this year's mulberry season. As a matter of fact, I spent a good deal of time this morning scarfing mulberries between tasks on the job. Ginger sat at my feet the entire time, disgusted at the frugivorous frivolities of her hairless primate co-worker. Silly ape, there are juicy birds in the trees! Tragically, the site lost one gorgeous mulberry tree a month ago, when a storm hit. Oddly enough, I don't believe that the wind took the tree down, I think the ground was so saturated that the tree keeled over. One of the most prolific mulberry trees on site produces white mulberries, which fooled even the mighty Steve Brill into thinking they were unripe (one can gauge the ripeness of the white berries by how plump and shiny they look- fat, shiny berries are ripe, though the taste is milder than that of the red or black berries).
Last night, I did something I almost never do, I went shopping for something other than food, booze, or books. I actually spent about twenty bucks on a small blender/travel cup combo. Now, I'm not the sort of guy who drinks "smoothies", but I figure I will start... I live near a failed silkworm ranch, so the vicinity is loaded with mulberry trees. I figure I can freeze a shitton of mulberries and blend them into nutritious beverages (a lot of the nutrition information comes from quackish sites, but there's quite a bit about the berries on the web. Now, anybody out there do the smoothie thing and could provide some pointers? I want to be able to sing this song by the end of the month:
Never done the smoothie thing, meself.
ReplyDeleteMulberry smoothies sound good, though.
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When I lived in the Deecee metro region, I used to eat random mulberries off the trees at this time of year wherever I went. I got weird looks from passers-by. They didn't know what they were missing, they were surrounded by deliciousness and didn't realize it.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty straightforward and open to lots of experimentation. Ice, yogurt, soy milk and fruit. I find a small banana makes the smoothie a little smoothier. A shot of honey if it's too tart. Mangoes & peaches are always a nice add.
ReplyDeleteI am in mulberry heaven. The tree in my backyard is loaded with fruit. I think the combination of last year's drought and the really wet spring this year have sent the tree into overdrive.
ReplyDeleteI put a couple of tarps underneath the tree, and once a day I'll go out and collect several gallons of fruit. I have about 15 pounds of mashed berries in the freezer, I already canned 20 half pints of jam, and yesterday I started a 2.5 gallon carboy of mulberry wine using 13 pounds of berries. I'm going to need a few more carboys, because the tree is still loaded with fruit!
Buying a smoothie maker does not eliminate booze from the occasion.
ReplyDeleteJes' sayin'.
Mulberry smoothies sound good, though.
ReplyDeleteThey'd better be!
When I lived in the Deecee metro region, I used to eat random mulberries off the trees at this time of year wherever I went. I got weird looks from passers-by. They didn't know what they were missing, they were surrounded by deliciousness and didn't realize it.
Crazy, isn't it? I mean, you have some seriously delicious fruit just waiting to be popped into your mouth for free, and most people can't even recognize the fact.
It's pretty straightforward and open to lots of experimentation. Ice, yogurt, soy milk and fruit. I find a small banana makes the smoothie a little smoothier. A shot of honey if it's too tart. Mangoes & peaches are always a nice add.
Awesome, thanks! I think I can get behind the concept.
Bad, I too have been scarfing mulberries on my lunch walk I take every day at work. When I bought some back for my co-workers, they wouldn't touch them and thought they were poison. I tried to engage them with the history of the silkworm and mulberry trees and they could have cared less, so I stopped wasting my breath and my mulberries. I am glad I don't work with you. I don't need the competition for mulberries. I am thinking about freezing them like you do with blueberries. Bon Apetit!
More mulberries for you! I have three good mulberry trees on the job, and scores of them in the neighborhood. I jokingly divvied up one worksite with the one co-worker who also digs the wild berries- she gets everything on one side of the right-of-way that divides the site, I get everything on the other site. I proposed "joining forces" and having a jamming bee on-site. That could be a great deal of fun.
I am in mulberry heaven. The tree in my backyard is loaded with fruit. I think the combination of last year's drought and the really wet spring this year have sent the tree into overdrive.
I put a couple of tarps underneath the tree, and once a day I'll go out and collect several gallons of fruit. I have about 15 pounds of mashed berries in the freezer, I already canned 20 half pints of jam, and yesterday I started a 2.5 gallon carboy of mulberry wine using 13 pounds of berries. I'm going to need a few more carboys, because the tree is still loaded with fruit!
You are a fortunate man. I have to look into this mulberry winemaking process...
Buying a smoothie maker does not eliminate booze from the occasion.
Jes' sayin'.
Margaritas are tequila smoothies! I might have to do some frozen mudslides...
And to think that I saw Mulberries on It Street!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had Mulberries in years. They are so good.
ReplyDeleteI think Mikey covered the smoothie advice. I make one every so often, especially for the kids that are "too busy" or "don't feel like" breakfast. I'm interested in getting into juicing as well but am hesitant to put the $$$'s into a juicer. I hate paying big money into something and then discovering it's not for me.
((hugs))
Laura
And to think that I saw Mulberries on It Street!
ReplyDeleteYou got directions, I'm gonna grab 'em!
I haven't had Mulberries in years. They are so good.
Oh, yeah!!!
I'm interested in getting into juicing as well but am hesitant to put the $$$'s into a juicer. I hate paying big money into something and then discovering it's not for me.
Would buying a used one skeeve you out?