Page 170 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Squashberry, Viburnum

edule (ADOXACEAE)

SQUASHBERRY or Moosewood Viburnum is a strag-
gling to upright shrub that grows best in moist woods
and forests, occurring along streams, marshes, and
Arthur Chapman, CC-BY-2.0
edge habitats. Squashberry can grow from 2-12 ft. (0.6-
3.5m) high. Its many spreading branches are smooth
and reddish-brown, becoming grey with age.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Starting in June, milky-white
flowers appear in 1 inch (2.5cm) across clusters. Each
flower is bell to saucer-shaped and has a diameter of
0.25 inch (0.6cm). Red or orange fleshy drupes measur- Robert Flog aus-F aust , C C-B Dave Powell, CC-BY-3.0-US
Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0Y-4.0
ing 0.2-0.4 inches (0.5-1cm) wide ripen in early fall and
into winter. Will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
persist into winter.
Once you remove the large seed, they are great for
LEAF: Foliage is simple and hairy below, with sharply
making juices, sauces, and jellies. Flowers, which ap-
serrated edges. Measuring 2-3 inches (5-7.5cm) long and
pear in June and early July, can be used in fritters.
almost as wide, leaf blades are often shallowly 3-lobed
SQUASHBERRY NASAMP: Ingredients: 1 cup squash-
and palmately veined.
berries, 2 cups cornmeal, water, maple syrup to taste,
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit and flowers
chopped walnuts, or hazelnuts. Cover berries with
KEY MEDICINAL USES: This plant is astringent and an- water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer
tispasmodic. for 20-30 min. Use a masher to crush the berries.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Pick fruits once they Strain out seeds. In a pot, cook cornmeal and equal
have ripened to bright red. This process begins in July parts water until thick and creamy. Mix in berries,
and August, but squashberries will persist on the plant nuts, and maple syrup.

Stink Currant, Ribes
bracteosum (GROSSULARIACEAE)

STINK CURRANT reaches 10 ft. (3m) in height; its up-
right stems are thornless and spotted with translucent
glands. Its leaves give off a sweet-skunky smell when
brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0
bruised. It thrives in moist to wet soils.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: 4-12 inches (10-30cm) long ra-
cemes of 20-40 flowers are produced in March-June.
Each flower is 0.2 inches (0.5cm) across and sau-
cer-shaped. 0.2-0.5 inches (0.8-1.2cm) wide inky-blue
berries ripen in August-September.
LEAF: Foliage is simple and alternate with 5-7 deeply Walter Siegmund, CC-BY-SA-3.0
cleft lobes. 2-9 inches (3-22cm) long and 2-10 inches (3-
PTARMIGAN BERRY JELLY: Ingredients: 6 ptarmi-
25cm) wide blades are dotted with yellow glands.
gan breasts (3 birds); 3 tbsp. stink currant jelly, 3
EDIBLE PARTS: stem crushed garlic cloves, ½ tsp. thyme, 2 tbsp. oil; 1 cup
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Fruits act as a laxative, when flour; ½ cup sherry (or chicken stock). Fillet ptarmi-
eaten in large quantities. gan breasts, pound them flat with a mallet and roll
them in flour. Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic, thyme,
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: While edible raw, stink
and ptarmigan fillets. Fry for 1 min. per side, then re-
currants tend to be bitter and mealy when fresh. Their
move fillets and place in a dish. Add sherry and jelly
flavor improves with cooking. They are excellent for
to the skillet and let thicken. Pour sauce over fillets.
making jams and pie fillings, or dried and eaten like rai-
sins. Harvest as they ripen to dusky blue in August-Sep- WARNING: Do not confuse with Devil’s Club, Oplopa-
tember. Will last for a few days in the fridge. nax horridus, which is similar in size and leaf shape.
169