wild Berrys

[Stew]

How strange - I came across some Guelder Rose today but didn't know what it was. I was about to do some research but then I saw this thread.

Thanks guys!
(I may be trying Guelder Rose pie soon....)

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Earthpeace]

Im picking the wild service berries and putting them in a 8 gallon bucket, when they have all gone rotten (blettied) I will make some into jam and the rest I think i'll cook, seive, and then dry the pulp for putting in cookies and meat dishes, using the 'leather' in any recipe that call for dried prunes in them. They taste very nice when rotten, a bit like dates.


Beer is made with hops + malt ( barley) which is bitter and ale was made with just with malt.
I make nettle beer but I' ve never tried making real beer or ale.
P.s 1.350g of haws in the haw sauce recipe made 500g of sauce.Just so you know.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Im picking the wild service berries and putting them in a 8 gallon bucket, when they have all gone rotten (blettied) I will make some into jam and the rest I think i'll cook, seive, and then dry the pulp for putting in cookies and meat dishes, using the 'leather' in any recipe that call for dried prunes in them. They taste very nice when rotten, a bit like dates.

Interesting! I haven't come across any round our way & I gather that they're no longer all that common. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled (another one for the must find list....). Beginning to suspect that 'chequers' is some sort of fermented wine like brew probably originally born out of the bletting process.

P.s 1.350g of haws in the haw sauce recipe made 500g of sauce.Just so you know.

Always a useful detail! Ta for mentioning it.

 

[Stew]

Interesting! I haven't come across any round our way & I gather that they're no longer all that common. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled (another one for the must find list....).

Well if you're ever in Grimsby, let me know and I'll give you directions to one I know up there!

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Hey Stew, a tad out of my area, but I'll keep it in mind!

 

[ESpy]

Beer is made with hops + malt ( barley) which is bitter and ale was made with just with malt.

Before hops were readily available, all sorts of things were added to beer to help preserve it - including heather. I can find an awful lot of recipes for ales that use a lot of hops, too

Here's a good site on various beers & related (including meads, melomels, sake and other fermented beverages) - http://www.hbd.org/brewery/cm3/CatsMeow3.html (latest version, I think)

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Nice link. Have bookmarked that for future perusal. Still no 'chequers' recipe yet though.

 

[ESpy]

None here either. Don't think there's one in my CAMRA homebrew book either.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Determined to track it down now.... I will not be defeated!!!

 

[Earthpeace]

chickenofthewoods please post the recipe if you find one. I'll have to dig out my old 'drink making' book to see if there's that type of recipe in it.

Thanks for that link espy its a good one.

I've be picking wild service berries all day, I've got a 4 gallon bucket full off them and there is loads more. I'll have to save a couple of jars of jam for the next bushcraft meet so you can try some.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Cool. Look forward to it. And if I ever track it down you'll be the first to know, believe me!

Is there any chance that you could be persuaded to part with a few fruit and post them over to blighty? I'm happy to pay whatever's needed to cover postage and packaging - I've just been reading up on propagating these lovely trees and I really fancy seeing if I could make a go of it as they're so very special.

 

[Earthpeace]

Yes No problem I will send you some seeds chickenofthewoods, there may be the possability of dropping you off some young plants, if you want? so you don't have to wait as long for your berrys.
Reply by PM.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

okey doke! PM in its way....

 

[Earthpeace]

Service berry beer the tree is also known as the chequer tree, referring to the traditional pub name chequers ( the chequer board was the symbol for an inn or tavern in Roman times) The berriers were used quite extensively in brewing.



Chequerberry beer
Pick off in bunches in october, hang on a string like onions ( looks like swarm of bees) Hang till ripe . Cut off close to berries. Put them in stone or glass jars. Put sugar on 1lb to 5lb of berries. Shake up well. keep airtight until juice comes comes to the top. The longer kept the better. (can add bandy) drink then eat berries.

extraxt from food for free by Richerd Nabey

chickenofthewoods I hope your trees are growing ok.