Page 147 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Cranberry, Vaccinium spp.

(ERICACEAE)

CRANBERRY is an evergreen shrub that grows in low
prostrated mats. It prefers cool, damp environments
with acid soils. They occur around bogs, marshes, and
streams.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Nodding flowers are pale or
bright pink and have 4-5 reflexed petals. Round berries
can grow 0.4-1 inches (1-2.5cm) wide and ripen to a
deep crimson color in August-November.
LEAF: 0.4 inches (1cm) long leaves are simple, alternate,
and leathery, with a glossy surface. In spring, foliage Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0
takes on a copper-brown color. beef or game meat. Cut meat into strips and salt. Sun-

EDIBLE PARTS: fruit dry or dehydrate on low heat in the oven. Once dried,
mince and grind meat into a fine powder. Dehydrate
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Fruits are a strong diuretic.
cranberries until they are bone-dry and grind them
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest ripe, firm cran-
into a powder. Mix meat and berry powders in a
berries once they tunr red or dark crimson. For the
bowl. Melt fat into tallow and pour over the mixture
small cranberry, this time is from August to October.
(1:6 ratio of fat to powder). Add 2 tsp. maple syrup
Large cranberries ripen from September to November
and mix well. Form into bars and leave to cool.
and often persist into winter. Most people prefer them
cooked or dried. They are excellent for jams, jellies, and POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Winterberry, Ilex ver-
cranberry sauce. ticillata - leaves are much larger, growing up to 3.5
inches (9cm) long.
CRANBERRY PEMMICAN: Cut fat off 5 lbs. (2kg) of lean
Cranberry (Highbush), Viburnum

trilobum (ADOXACEAE)

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY, American Cranberry Bush
or Crampbark is an upright deciduous shrub that grows
in cool moist conditions. They grow from 8-17 ft. (2.5-
5m), with rounded crowns.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: In May-July, 4 inches (10cm)
across rounded-headed clusters of white flowers ap-
pear. Berries arrive in autumn, starting out orange and
maturing to bright crimson. Each fruit contains a single
flat stone.
LEAF: Leaves are deeply 3-lobed, similar to maple foli- Kaz Andrew, CC BY-SA 2.0
age. They are simple and opposite, growing 2-4 inches vested well into the winter.
(5-10cm) long with coarsely-toothed edges and hairy
HIGHBUSH FEAST: Roast 2 whole butternut squash
undersides.
in a bed of campfire coals. Cook for 10-12 min., turn-
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit ing the squash to cook evenly. In a pot, sauté chopped
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It is antispasmodic and astrin- onions and garlic until translucent. Add 1 cup quinoa,
gent. 2 tsp. thyme, and 2 cups water. Cover and simmer for
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Though edible fresh, 10 min. Stir in ½ cup highbush cranberries (cooked
highbush cranberries have the tartness of convention- and sweetened). Remove from heat. Fold in chopped
swiss chard, cover, and let stand for 10 min. Halve and
al cranberries and are better-tasting when cooked with
sugar. Once their seeds are removed, they can be made hollow out squash. Serve with cranberry stuffing.
into jellies and sauces. Use lemon peels to counter fruit’s WARNING: Unripe berries eaten in large amounts
unique musty odor. Highbush cranberries can be har- may cause stomach irritation and vomiting.
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