Jackpot

**smittysurvival** · 06-29-2010, 04:33 PM

as i was walking through the woods today what would i find but a boat load of wild edibles. a massive patch of what i think are called chinese wine berries (i call them wax berries on the account that your fingers feel very waxy after eating them.) and another patch of may apples that has about 20-40 apples in it. its kinda weird that its the end of june and they still arent ripe isnt it? well anyway. . . i was wondering if there is any special recipes for these rarities. and of course there is onions everywhere but thats normal around here. anyother edibles is should be looking for this time of year?

P.S. ive gott a little bit more time right now. in between track and football two a days. please help quick

**Rick** · 06-29-2010, 04:40 PM

May Apple Jam

Pick 2 quarts of mature fruit.
Wash fruit, cut off any stem and flower remnants.
Cut fruit into quarters.
Add 1 cup of water and simmer 15 minutes.
Mash fruit and filter through colander.
To 4 cups of pulp, add one box Sure-Gel or Certo.
Bring to boil and add 4 cups sugar.
Hard boil for 1 minute. Skim off foam.
Pour into half pint jars and seal.

Make certain you only use the ripe fruit. All parts of the plant, even the unripe fruit is a cathartic.

**Canadian-guerilla** · 06-29-2010, 05:01 PM

i've been waiting for mayapples too

the berries are green now, but from what i understand

i should wait until they are yellow and drop from the plant

anyone know if i picked some green berries,
would they ripen on their own and turn yellow ?
or should i just wait for nature

**smittysurvival** · 06-29-2010, 07:49 PM

thats a good question bc ive noticed that wild animals have a taste for the fruit and they dont last long once ripe. do i need to peel the skin off the fruit for that jam? and what flavor does it have? is it bitter or sour or sweet?

**Rick** · 06-29-2010, 07:54 PM

For a jam you will mash the fruit. Jams generally contain some of the actually fruit but not the peel. If the peel is included it's actually a marmalade. For a jelly, only the juice, usually strained through something like cheese cloth, is used.

Oh, as for taste. It's been a few years since I've had them but I would say wild grapes would be pretty close.

**smittysurvival** · 06-29-2010, 08:09 PM

great. im sure it will be easy to find 2 quarts. these ar emonsters. i would compare the largest ones to small peaches or plums. thee smallest to large grapes

**Rick** · 06-29-2010, 08:22 PM

You might be surprised. About the time they turn ripe they all disappear. Wildlife has a habit of doing that.

**smittysurvival** · 06-29-2010, 09:34 PM

but might they be like bannanas, mangoes, and other fruits and ripen over time

**crimescene450** · 06-29-2010, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by smittysurvival

(i call them wax berries on the account that your fingers feel very waxy after eating them.)

doesnt a waxy type feel suaully mean something is poisonous?

**smittysurvival** · 06-29-2010, 11:59 PM

i sure hope not bc ive been eating them for the last three or four years. not only are they perfectly safe to eat but they have nothing that looks like them in my area

**Rick** · 06-30-2010, 12:08 AM

I've never picked them and tried to let them ripen so I don't know. I have a large patch I've got staked out but I'm afraid I'm going to have to wrestle the deer for them. That won't be pretty.

**smittysurvival** · 06-30-2010, 09:14 AM

well is this anything like that mutant sqquirrels

(we really need a squirrel smiley)

**rwc1969** · 06-30-2010, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Canadian-guerilla

i've been waiting for mayapples too

the berries are green now, but from what i understand

i should wait until they are yellow and drop from the plant

anyone know if i picked some green berries,
would they ripen on their own and turn yellow ?
or should i just wait for nature

Maybe if you wrap them in brown paper bags or newspaper they will, or put a ripe banana in with them.

They don't have to fall from the plant, but they certainly need to be yellow thru and soft. I think they are very tasty, but as soon as they ripen the critters tear em up. It's kinda like trying to pick hazelnuts. Good luck getting to them before the tailgating squirrels do.

I've heard folks get the squirts from the ripe ones as well though if too many are eaten, but haven't experienced that myself.

**Canadian-guerilla** · 06-30-2010, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by rwc1969

Maybe if you wrap them in brown paper bags or newspaper they will, or put a ripe banana in with them.

well i just picked some mayapples this afternoon to experiment with

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

**Rick** · 06-30-2010, 06:06 PM

Keep us posted on this, please. Like I said, I have a pretty large patch identified so I'd like to know if they ripen off the plant. I'd never even considered it. That would be great if they do. You can collect them before they ripen and the animals get them.

**rwc1969** · 06-30-2010, 06:32 PM

Ya, I'd be interested to know as well.

**smittysurvival** · 06-30-2010, 07:22 PM

you know you guys . . . i wonder if you could actually tame this things. . . the inside is an open pit istn it? so seed is ruled out . . . maybe its loke strawberries and it just pops up year after year. if you could dig them up then you could put these things in a greenhouse patch to grow and not worry about the bugs or animals. i suppose an outside patch would do the same job but do nothing agianst bugs and only prevent some animals even with a fence. . . . im really loving this idea

and i think ill pick some of the small ones and try a few different things. first ill try popping them in the freezer over night and letting them sit out over the day (a same thing with pawpaws)

then i could try your guy's idea

**Canadian-guerilla** · 07-01-2010, 08:56 AM

i decided to number 6 of these mayapples
in the background is 4 mayapples wrapped in newspaper

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.