Page 152 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Golden Currant, Ribes

aureum (GROSSULARIACEAE)

GOLDEN CURRANT is an upright deciduous shrub with
smooth, spineless bark. It can grow to 10 ft. (3m) and
agrees with most soil types. It is found along streams,
JKehoe_Photos, CC BY-ND 2.0
slopes, woodland edges.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: In late spring, clusters of 5-15
sunny-yellow blossoms emerge, exuding a vanilla and
clove scent. Each flower is formed of an elongated tube
encircled by 5 upright lobes. Flowers are 0.2-0.4 inches
(0.5-1cm) long and take on reddish hues with maturi-
ty. Rounded fruits emerge in summer, are red or orange Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0
and sometimes black.
CURRANT AND DANDELION PASTA: Boil 4 cups
LEAF: 0.5-1.8 inches (0.5-4.5cm) long and 0.6-2 inches
young dandelion greens until thoroughly cooked.
(1.5-5cm) wide leaves are alternate with smooth or ser-
Drain and chop finely along with 1 onion and 6 garlic
rated edges.
cloves. In a larger pot, add pasta noodles to boiling
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit, flowers salted water and let cook. Sauté garlic, onion, and
KEY MEDICINAL USES: This plant has anti-inflammato- greens in a pan with olive oil until onions are trans-
ry properties. lucent. Toss with pasta noodles. Add pine nuts, salt,
pepper, and golden currants.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Fruits ripen from orange
to blue-black in mid-late summer. You can eat currants LOOK-ALIKES: Sticky Currant, Ribes viscosissimum
fresh, dry them, use them in baking, ormake jams and - Consuming this plant has been known to cause
jellies. They will keep for only a few days in the fridge. vomiting. Leaves, stems, and fruit are covered with
Flowers are edible raw. a sticky coating. Bristly fibers sometimes coat fruits.

Hackberry (Spiny/Desert), Celtis
ehrenbergiana (CANNABACEAE)

SPINY HACKBERRY or Desert Hackberry is a decidu-
ous shrub found along rocky slopes and in arid bushes.
Growing 3-10 ft. (0.9-3m) tall, plant has smooth grey
Katja Schulz, CC BY 2.0
bark and zig-zagging branches. Pairs of sharp woody
spines, about 1 inch (2.5cm) long, grow at its nodes.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Flower clusters appear in the leaf
axils between March and May. They are yellowish-green
and lack petals and sepals. The lustrous orange or am-
ber fruits mature in the late summer and persist until af-
ter the leaves have fallen. They are fleshy round drupes Katja Schulz, CC BY 2.0 Katja Schulz, CC BY 2.0
of about 0.25 inches (0.6cm) and contain a hard seed.
and wines. Dried and pulverized berries can be used
LEAF: Medium green leaves are simple, alternate, and
as a spice. Be careful to mind the thorns when you are
slightly leathery. Measuring 0.4-1.2 inches (1-3 cm)
harvesting them.
long, they are oval to elliptic with rough surfaces. Their
HACKBERRY JAM: Ingredients: 1 cup hackberries,
upper edges are coarsely toothed.
water, ¼ cup sugar, 1tbsp. lemon juice. Cover berries
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit
with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let sim-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: An infusion of this plant’s leaves mer for 20-30 min. Use a masher to crush the berries.
has been used as a digestive aid. Strain out seeds with a sieve. Add sugar and lemon
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Desert hackberries are juice and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for 15-25
mildly sweet. They can be eaten raw or made into jams min. until the jam thickens.

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