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Other topics for members => FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! => Topic started by: Jeff on August 14, 2008, 06:13:43 PM

Title: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 14, 2008, 06:13:43 PM
Has anyone here every made or tried Dogberry Jam?
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: LeeB on August 14, 2008, 06:19:45 PM
Is it something edible or something you have to wipe off your shoe  ???. Never heard of dogberry before.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: breederman on August 14, 2008, 06:20:31 PM
Never made any but steped in some last night and got it between my toes ;D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 14, 2008, 06:24:33 PM
I knew full well that I was goona git that.... :D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Radar67 on August 14, 2008, 06:48:54 PM
You sure you don't mean dingleberry?  ;D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Reddog on August 14, 2008, 09:31:29 PM
Had to go digging for that one.

Eastern Prickly Gooseberry, Pasture Gooseberry, Dog Berry, Ribes cynosbati.

I have ate them as a kid, but never had jam made from them. I don't remember there being much flavor. :-\
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 14, 2008, 10:45:55 PM
Ya didnt dig deep enough yet there Reddog  :)

Dogberry I am referring to is made from Mountain Ash Berries and Crab apples.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on August 15, 2008, 06:26:34 AM
Might as well toss some sumac berries into it as well eh? ;D  People used to make a drink (shrub-It's in Webster's  ;) ) from the staghorn sumac berries, like with currants.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on August 15, 2008, 06:31:01 AM
I think we have a European mountain ash around my old orchard, the bark is silver gray on these ones and I have cut some rather large ones out. The ones out in the woods have a dark reddish-brown bark on them. What are they like up your way Jeff?
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 15, 2008, 08:35:26 AM
I'll take a photo of mine today.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Corley5 on August 15, 2008, 09:31:08 AM
I wasn't aware mt. ash berries were edible.  What do they taste like ???  chicken  ???  :D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 15, 2008, 12:06:49 PM
http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/foraging/rowan.php
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Reddog on August 15, 2008, 12:11:11 PM
Quote from: Jeff on August 14, 2008, 10:45:55 PM
Ya didnt dig deep enough yet there Reddog  :)

Dogberry I am referring to is made from Mountain Ash Berries and Crab apples.

Well I can't help it when you are making up your own names.   :D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 15, 2008, 12:16:22 PM
Try searching mountain ash with the word edible. You will come across dogberry repeatedly. :)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 15, 2008, 12:20:23 PM
Well, its looking more and more like I'm going to have to be the Guinea Pig. Long as the birds don't get them before the first frost, I'll give it a try.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Reddog on August 15, 2008, 12:38:48 PM
Interesting, never heard mountain ash called that.  :)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on August 15, 2008, 03:56:29 PM
 

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/dogberry_1.jpg)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/dogberry_2.jpg)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/dogberry_3.jpg)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on August 15, 2008, 06:06:45 PM
Yes they are loaded this year. The older folks probably, great grandparents, made shrubs from all kinds of wild berries. Didn't have all these soft drinks way back then to go buy off store shelves, ya made your own. It was something folks looked forward to. A lot of the times a shrub drink had a shot of brandy in it to. ;)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Don P on August 15, 2008, 07:30:17 PM
I've never heard it called a guinea pig either,  a rose by any other name.
The Mt Ash up on the highlands are loaded again this year, I'm curious if you survive  ;D.

The first lady that made us the sumac berry drink called it ruse-aid, so that's what I've always called it. Never thought about adding anything medicinal to it, sounds like a good way to really get the quickstep  :D.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on August 15, 2008, 07:56:41 PM
Here in the back yard, mine are European. The way to tell is that buds are real hairy on the top portion of the bud and not gummy. The native species, of which there are two are the American and the Showy. Now Jeff's looks like my yard trees. In order to be native mountain-ash, the buds have to be gummy.  You got gum Jeff? ;)

Now here...I have a huge...I mean huge....at least I ain't seen nothing like it around here...until tonight... American mountain-ash. It is 12 in dbh and 40 feet tall. The softwood trees, the one closest (middle) is a 11.5 inch white spruce and the one behind (right) is a 13 inch balsam fir. They are 60 feet tall. The smell of a broken twig smells like almond off the ash. It is growing about 400 yards from my woodlot on a neighbor along the edge of a wetland and rich soil.

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_mountain_ash-003.jpg)

I see some bear claw marks on the old girl, look below my hand. ;D

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_mountain_ash-004.jpg)

Almost looks like a butternut crown.  ;)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_mountain_ash-005.jpg)

Around 12" long

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_mountain_ash-001.jpg)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 05, 2008, 07:39:45 PM
I've picked the Berries tonight and have them cleaned. The experiment is about to commence. :)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on October 05, 2008, 07:55:36 PM
The robins are fleecing the mountain ash berries here on the fence rows and orchards. One good sized ash will have about 50 of the feathers critters. This and spring time sure are good times to take counts. :D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 05:55:38 AM
We got a real hard frost and the berries changed in taste overnight. You couldn't bear to touch one to your tongue before and now they have lost that bitter taste, In fact, they seem to be much more palatable then the crab apples I use to may jelly. I don't think I woyld want to eat either fruit raw.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on October 06, 2008, 05:59:35 AM
Jeff, they are actually related to apples, so I bet they will work out delicious.  :)

Eating raw crab apples is like eating a mouthful of raw black cherries. :D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: beenthere on October 06, 2008, 09:57:48 AM
I know for a fact, that Jeff makes a down-right mean delicious, and tasty High Bush Cranberry jam. And I thank him for that.  8) 8) 8)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on October 06, 2008, 11:26:54 AM
Jeff's having a tucking out on that new jam. Yup, I just know it. Probably collapsed from over consumption.  ;D 8)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 12:05:56 PM
Still kicking, I'll post an update in a minute. Just juiced the berries a little bit ago. :)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 12:22:56 PM
Photo of unsorted berries.


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/mountain_ash_berries_1.jpg)
SOrted Berries
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/mountain_ash_berries_2.jpg)



I found this technique works well for sorting good berries from bad. A gentle swirl of the water pushes the bad berries to the side, and brings the good berries to the center.
Short video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gV3iWuMUAQ


Juicing the berries after boiling for a couple minutes to soften.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/mountain_ash_berries_3.jpg)

Short video of juicing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G42zIMdg98
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 04:10:58 PM
I just sampled it.  ITS HORRIBLE!  One brief initial pleasant taste is blown away by a terrible underlying and lingering after taste.  YUCK YUCK YUCK! 
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: SwampDonkey on October 06, 2008, 04:44:38 PM
Well, at least your honest.  ;D :D :D

Need any more bear bait? ;)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: pigman on October 06, 2008, 05:22:20 PM
I am glad I got the jar of High Bush Cranberry  jam 8) instead of the dogberry jam. When I was there Jeff had a taste of the dogberry and the look on his face was worth a thousand words. ;D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 05:41:43 PM
Bear Bait is what it will be. A little flavor to the bear oatmeal. At this point, I think I'd rather eat the sawdust and grease oatmeal.

If there is anyone brave enough out there to give a second opinion, although I dont think its advisable, I can save ya a jar. :D

Thanks for the visit today Bob. Without it this would not have been a very good day at all.

Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Reddog on October 06, 2008, 07:34:28 PM
  thanks but no thanks.
I seem to recall trying the berries as a kid.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Burlkraft on October 06, 2008, 08:17:10 PM
I really can't taste anything right now....I'm game  ;D  ;D
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Jeff on October 06, 2008, 08:30:14 PM
I know your sick and I wont be part of making you sicker. No dogstuff for burlkraft.
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: pigman on October 08, 2008, 01:26:05 PM
I drove all the way up to Michigan to get a jar of Jeff's dogberry jam. I got there just as he was finishing up the dogberry. 8) I  saw him take a taste of the jam and from the look on his face,  I just knew I had driven a long way for nothing. :(  Wildflower then came to the rescue and offered me a jar of High Bush Cranberry. That stuff is great and the whole thousand mile trip was worth it.


(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10432/high_bush-op.jpg)
Title: Re: Dogberry Jam
Post by: Patty on November 07, 2008, 10:25:55 AM
I too have had their famous High Bush Cranberry jelly. It is awesome. Kind of like the Currant jelly we make down here in this area.