Mulberries (Morus rubra)

Mulberries are in full swing! But catch em' quick before the birds snatch them all up. These tasty berries are perfect for pies and jams, or just for snacking. The easiest way I have found to catch mulberries is to lay down a tarp or two under the tree and shake the branches. If you leave the tarps out, berries will continue to fall, and you can gather them easily. I also had good luck just picking them out of the grass. (A great task to keep little ones occupied!)

My mulberry harvest this year was small but memorable and I was able to make a very precious batch of mulberry jam. I'd like to share some tips for making a delicious preserve. I tend to wing it when it comes to jams, and with such a small quantity of berries, I didn't follow any particular recipe.

Mulberry Jam

Ingredients:

• Mullberries
• Apples (for natural pectin)
• Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• Honey
• Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Rinse berries in a colander. ( I don't worry about the stems of mulberries as they soften while cooking, but you can remove stems at this point if you'd like)
2. Mash berries either by hand or in a food processor.
3. Cook berries over medium heat stirring often.
4. Add finely chopped apples- to a quantity of your liking. (fresh or dried) These will provide natural pectin to aid in the jams ability to gel, as mulberries, like most berries are low in natural pectin. They also add great flavor and texture) For a large batch of jam, say 10-15 cups of berries, add about 4 tart apples, for a small batch like mine, about a handful will do.
   
5. Add about a tablespoon of lemon juice, a dash or more of cinnamon to taste and as much honey as you'd like. The berries have good flavor, so I don't think the jam needs much sweetness.
   
6. Cook until juices begin to break and the mixture begins to thicken. Let the jam boil about 10-15.
   
7. Allow mixture to cool slightly before spooning into sterile canning jars, leaving about 1/4-1/2" at the top. Can in a water bath for about 5-7 minutes.
   
8. Enjoy!!