The Lure of Wild
Strawberries
Mary Emma Allen
One of the bonuses of hiking through the woods and meadows
is the natural bounty you often come across. On walks
through the meadows, my family and I have often come
across patches of wild strawberries.
Along with swatting mosquitoes and black flies, we find it
worthwhile to pick these gems. Sometimes there are only a
few to eat on the spot. Other times you may find a patch
that yields enough for a strawberry shortcake.
Wild strawberries are popular berries growing wild in
temperate
climates. Medieval records mention that these berries were
used for food and medicine.
As long ago as the 1400s, wild strawberries were planted
in English herb gardens.
Berries in the New World
These berries were growing in the New World when the
colonists settled here.
They found that the natives collected large quantities of
these berries, eating them fresh and drying some for
winter use.
The colonists soon were cultivating these American
varieties in their gardens. They even sent species of
these plants back to England.
Many of the commercial cultivated strawberries today are
hybrids from plants developed from wild North American
varieties.
Many Uses
Wild strawberries have been used for many purposes over
the years - strawberry wines, strawberries and cream,
strawberry jams and jellies, strawberry shortcake, etc.
Strawberries are high in vitamin C. The leaves,
nutritious, too, have been used for strawberry tea, a
drink rich in this vitamin.
Strawberry juice was used in years past as a wash for
one's complexion. The roots and leaves have been utilized
as an astringent.
Fragile Berries
Wild strawberries are very fragile berries. They get mushy
very
quickly. So these berries should be handled carefully when
picked and transported.
They also should be used, either eaten or preserved as
soon as possible.
Making Strawberry Leather
An old-time way to preserve wild strawberries is by making
STRAWBERRY LEATHER. This method was used in Europe and by
the Indians. The colonists soon were preserving berries
this way, too.
The berries were dried into thin cakes the size of
pancakes. Then they were eaten that way or made into
sauces, pies, and puddings.
Mash the hulled wild strawberries. Then shape into thin
cakes.
(Sometimes these mashed berries are spread out in thin
strips instead of cakes.) Place cakes on platters.
(The Indians often used leaves.) Dry in the sun, using
screens to keep insects away. Or you can dry the leather
in a 200 degree F. oven. Store in covered containers after
the cakes or strips are dried.
A slightly different recipe for WILD STRAWBERRY LEATHER -
In a pan, simmer 2 pounds hulled strawberries with 1 cup
sugar over low heat. Stir and mash fruit as it cooks and
gets as thick as possible. Then spread the mixture on a
flat dish and place in the sun, a food dryer, or low 200
degree oven. When dried, sprinkle with powdered sugar and
cut into squares. Store in covered container to keep out
moisture.
In addition to
writing cooking columns, Mary Emma Allen writes for
children. Her latest book is a coloring book to accompany
her children's anthology, "Tales of Adenture & Discovery.
Visit her web site to view more "Country Kitchen" columns:
http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jetent/mea;
mailto:me.allen@juno.com)
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