Mulberry season is here!
One of my fondest childhood memories were spending long summer days at my Aunt’s house. My cousin and I would scour the woodline and end up stained purple from the delicious berries.
One thing I noticed after moving away, most of the people out here had no knowledge of mulberries or considered them a nuisance. (More for me, then!)
“O, the mulberry-tree is of trees the queen!
~ Dinah Maria Murlock Craik
Bare long after the rest are green;
But as the time steals onwards, while none perceives
Slowly she clothes herself with leaves–
Hides her fruit under them, hard to find.
. . . .
But by and by, when the flowers grow few
And the fruits are dwindling and small to view–
Out she comes in her matron grace
With the purple myriads of her race;
Full of plenty from root to crown,
Showering plenty her feet adown.
While far over head hang gorgeously
Large luscious berries of sanguine dye,
For the best grows highest, always highest,
Upon the mulberry-tree.”
Mulberries
Morus nigra (black mulberry) is what I have been most familiar with growing up. There are red and white varieties but in all my years of picking and foraging, I’ve never come across them in the wilds of Northern Ohio.
Not only can we enjoy this tasty treat, the berries are enjoyed by wild birds, deer, and can provide a free source of food for your chickens and ducks.
Berries can be eaten raw, frozen, used in baking, and even contain medicinal properties. The leaves, berries, and bark has been used in Chinese medicine. I personally do not have any experience using this tree in herbal medicine (yet) but do enjoy the berries!
For the black mulberry, you want to wait until the berries are fully dark and plump before picking. The berries form in small clusters along the branches, and usually mature at different times. The easiest method for harvesting is to place a tarp on the ground and shaking the branches or the trunk. Ripe berries will easily fall off and can be collected.
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Mulberry Pancakes with Spiced Mulberry Compote and Butter Roasted Pecans
As the seasons have changed, we have gotten away from baking, opting for more cold dishes and fresh fruit and vegetables. But pancakes are always welcome in our house!
Sourdough Discard Pancakes
This is the same recipe from our original Sourdough Discard Pancakes! The only change is adding in 3 cups of mulberries to the mix.
What You Need:
- 1.5 cups of sourdough starter
- 2 cups of flour (you may need a little more or less depending on the saturation of your pancake batter)
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 2 room temperature eggs
- 1 cup whole fat milk at room temperature (we use our raw goat milk)
- 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled butter (always go for grass-fed butter, if you’re able! The flavor is unmatched!)
- 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Dash of ceylon cinnamon
- Cooking oil to spray your baking dish.
- 3 cups fresh or frozen mulberries
- Stoneware baking dish
What to Do:
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Mix together all of the ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Spread pancake batter evenly onto your lightly oiled pan.
- Allow batter to rise slightly in the pan for 10-15 minutes in a warm area. (I like to leave it on the stovetop as the oven is preheating. I’ve found this results in a fluffier pancake at the end.)
- Add mulberries.
- Bake in your oven for 20 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and the pancake cooked completely through.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into your desired sizes.
Butter Toasted Pecans
The buttered pecans are really something to have on hand. You can use them to top muffins, on salads, and are excellent topped on salmon!
What You Need
- 2 cups raw, chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Salt to taste
- 9″x13″ baking pan
What to Do
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Toss your pecans in melted butter and spread out evenly on the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes stirring once. We like ours with a little extra crunch, so I usually toast for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow pecans to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated for about 1 week.
Spiced Mulberry Compote
Traditionally compote is whole fruit cooked down with sugar and water. I usually do not add sweetener to our compote, but with only using mulberries, I chose to add in some maple syrup. You can really make this your own. Spices are optional, as is the sweetener.
What You Need
- 3 cups fresh or frozen mulberries
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup of maple syrup
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of cloves
- 1 tsp chia seeds (optional, for texture)
- Sauce pan
What to Do
- Place your mulberries into your pan and bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat and add in cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stirring and mashing berries frequently.
- Remove from heat and add chia seeds. Stir well and allow to cool. Chia seeds will need about 10 minutes to absorb some of the extra liquid.
- To serve, apply to taste on top of your pancakes! You could also enjoy over ice cream, on toast, or to top muffins.
- To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.