For all of the no-picking berry friends, you will need tips to forage. During this covid colored isolation torture chamber, even berry picking may now sound interesting. No point in all of us learning the hard way. Mind you, I am now several days into the berry picking season.

Dewberries “Favor the Brave” and why?

Tips to forage for dewberries or blackberries would certainly have come in handy prior to my walk about with Mennu. At least more than once my brain sent me gentle warnings with a low to high volume. The warnings sounded like this:

Do you really want to put your hand in there to get that one berry?
I wonder what’s under all that brush, bramble and thorny stickers?
Are snakes out yet?
Are they as scared of me as I am scared of them?
Did I make enough noise to scare the snakes away?
Would a pistol be overkill in my basket?
If I use my basket handle to lean on to reach the best berry ever, will it hold me up?
If I am close to the house picking berries does my danger lessen?

Berry Picking Side Effects

Meanwhile lots and lots of berries later, fast forward to last night, what now? I realized that I had a problem. Besides the briar patch scratches that I was sporting, my arm and hands had a rash with tiny red bumps. Oh no, what the heck?

More than once during my social outing, (Mennu and I) I thought long sleeves would have been a great idea. I showed my war wounds to Grill Man, “Is it poison ivy or poison oak?” Since the itching or blisters had not started yet, he thought that I might live.

What blisters? Yikes, I immediately retrieved my lavender essential oil and mixed it with olive oil to soothe my dewberry war wounds. Lavender essential oil is good for irritated skin and bites. Would this be my last berry trip?

Especially, if anyone wanted to see a dewberry again in my house, it better not be poison anything. Dewberries favor the brave but when it’s all said and done, a respite is next on the list. I love being outside with the warm sunshine and a April breeze blowing. Yet dewberry picking is hard work even if it delivers sweet rewards and exercise. Ideally, I knew there was a Garden Berry Mint Cocktail in my future.

What is Berry Yoga?

Hours later after the scary drama quieted and my basket had berries, I could also check off walking and berry yoga. I wonder if Fitbit has calories burned for berry yoga? Lots of bending, squatting, reaching, stretching and a sun salutation or two. It is just a fact that the sweetest, biggest berries create the biggest stretch.

Meanwhile as your stretching over the briar patch, remember that little creatures like to hid in dark places. So far, besides Mennu I had only encountered a turtle in my yard. Thankfully I saw it before it remotely came close to touching me. I am too blessed to be stressed and just thankful no snakes came out to greet me.

Of course, berries are worth the scratches, but if you follow my tips you may avoid all that unpleasantness.

Dewberries, blackberries or raspberries require patience and all the right tools.

10 Forage Tips for Berry Picking

• Put on sun screen and bug spray
• Wear long sleeves, jeans, and a hat.
• Flip flops are cool but not for berry picking. Wear rubber boots or hightops.
• Wear garden gloves
• Grab a sturdy basket with handles berries.
• Pack a water bottle.
• Survey area before you reach down to pick.
• Pay attention.
• Pull the berry from the plant stem and add to basket.
• Only pick the ripe berries.
• End berry picking session with a berry-lish-ous cocktail.

Where to look for berries?

Luckily I have berries in my yard. Typically you may find berries located near the ground around trees, wooded areas or along fence lines. Despite the hard labor that picking becomes, I enjoy being outside.

Without a doubt, walking around with nature in bloom lowers my stress level. Picking berries is an adult version of a treasure hunt. This is a great field trip with children but not wee ones.

Even so, if you don’t have berries or fruit in your yard, visit a friend in the country. Check out the two organizations listed, they may assist depending on where you’re located. Each web site has a map so that you may zone in on your city and state.

Guides for additional You-Pick Locations

Urban Falling Fruit Guide– Urban guide in “celebration of the overlooked culinary bounty of our city streets.”

Pick Your Own Farms Great location guide filled with lots of useful information. This would be a great field trip with children to teenagers of all ages. Everyone should understand the farm cycle and how important and valuable it is to our every day life. Plan a family day if this. Farms are probably open and you may be able to plan a field trip with social distancing.

Finally when berry picking is over you have a treat. Berries tempt your tastebuds in cobblers, bundt cakes, salads, smoothies or cocktails. La Revue Dining With Mimi 3 contains my latest Garden Berry Mint Cocktail. It’s berry-lish-ous! Enjoy and remember Dewberries “favor the brave.”

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Loquat trees are beautiful to look at but they also offer a world of food and flavor. Grill Man planted our trees about five years ago. As with most who visit the area, my trees love Fairhope and all it has to offer on our acreage. Lots of clean air, warm sunshine, rain and space to grow. My trees are fat and happy.

Driving around the county, I have noticed other loquat trees everywhere fully loaded with fruit. Granted, dealing with produce on any grand scale is alot of work. It is ready when its ready and it doesn’t matter what you have going on in your life. Produce demands to be picked or it will ripen and fall on the ground. Fruit on the ground will attract rodents and other uninvited guests to your garden.

I am happy to share my loquats but not everyone wants to pick, wash, and process the fruit. I get it, it is labor intensive but what a great way to teach your little ones about nature. A good way to spend quality time with your children and teach then about Mother Earth. Grab scissors to cut the loquats from the tree and large baskets for your fruit. Now, where do I get them?

What if I don’t have Loquat Trees?

So if you don’t have any loquat trees, drive around they are everywhere and maybe the home owner will share. It is possible they will be happy to have you pick them from the tree before they have to remove loquats from the ground. Offer to purchase them first, although they may be happy to give them to you. If they say no, thank them and move on to another tree loaded with fruit.

If your homeowner says yes, be sure to thank them before you leave and don’t make a mess in their yard. Mail them a thank you note to show your appreciation for sharing.

Use the scissors to cut the loquats from the tree and place gently in the basket. The fruit will bruise easily and lose its freshness quickly. DO NOT PICK GREEN LOQUATS OR EAT THEM. Green loquats are toxic and not ready to eat. Only pick what you will be able to eat and process. You can always pick more later.

Prior to our trees, I was not very familiar with loquats. Trees grown from a seed take 8-10 years to bear fruit. Loquat trees grafted from plants may produce in 2-3 years. Definitely go the grafted plant route, so that you’re not waiting forever. Visit the local nurseries to purchase loquat trees.Once you have secured your loquats, what’s next? Before you get your hands dirty, turn on your favorite music. Loquats- Eat, Ferment, Freeze, Preserve, Steep and Share. Wash the loquats several times before you eat any loquat fruit. Do not eat the seeds without researching.

What do I do with loquat seeds?

With a knife cut a slice into the loguat and pop out the seeds. Loquat seeds are brown and you may find one or many. Set seeds aside. I have not made loquat liqueur yet but its on my list for this season. Check out the recipes on Eat The Weeds web site. This recipe looks interesting to me, Getting a Grip on Grappa.

What do I do with Loquat Fruit?

Place loquat fruit into a bowl. Drizzle with lemon and toss occasionally so that the fruit does not change color. Eat while you work. Give your little one an apron and allow them to pop out the seeds and place into a bowl. Explain that they may eat the fruit but not the seeds. They will enjoy cooking with Mommie and making memories.

With the fruit, your options are endless at this point. Eat loquats. Make smoothies. Freeze loquats to process later. Learn to preserve and make jelly, marmalade, loquat leather, margaritas or chutney. Leaves from Loquat tree leaves may be used to make tea. I am sure that they would be good in a cake, fruit bread, salsa for fish, fruit salad, etc

Loquat Cheesecake

This week I made a Loquat cheescake using my St Germain Creamy Cheesecake recipe with the following changes:
-do not add St Germain
-Add 3 Tablespoons of pureed loquat fruit Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. (Use the waterbath method to prevent cracking)

Internet has a world of information about loquats and only waiting for you to google. Loquats are good to eat and offer lots of nutritional benefits. What are you waiting for? Pick em’ if you got em’. If not, go loquat hunting but please remember your manners. I would love to hear all about it.

For more information check out Loquat World.

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How to start with your sous chef?

Long ago my Mom started me on the yellow brick road to Kitchen Wonderland. Although I wasn’t sure that I even wanted to go on that well-traveled journey. At the time it seemed like a full dose of drudgery wrapped around dishes that would pile up consistently.

My mom taught me the basics. From grating carrots for Carrot & Raisin Salad with that annoying handheld grater to making vegetable juices that she would force us to drink. By the way, if you hold your nose and drink celery juice at the same time, you barely taste it.  Kitchen duties with Mom taught me small things one at a time and opened the door for future lessons.

Are you cooking with your children and teenagers? Cooking with your babes is a special treat for both of you. Clearly your teenager may not want the lesson but it is so important to learn. Being able to step into a kitchen and prepare food is a gift that keeps giving.  My fearless sous chef in training has learned great skills that she too may pass on one day.

During the last visit we made Squash Pickles. My fearless sous chef in training has always been a big fan of these pickles. I found the recipe in a cookbook by Anne Byrn Phillips , Cooking in the New South. Phillips recipe is courtesy of Pat Bruschini of the Cobb County Extension office.

Cooking Squash Pickles is an easy way to sneak in a vegetable. To date, I love this pickle recipe most of all. Recipe is easy to make for all skill levels. Great idea for hostess gift or sharing with your loved ones. My sous chef in training handled her first preserving class like a champ.

Use Time in Kitchen to Bond and tell stories

When I step into the kitchen by myself again, I will miss having her close by to chat with and listen to her talk. No one can stir a sauce, set the table and grate the cheese like my Sous Chef in Training. Oh yeah and I love her help with those dishes that pile up all too quickly.

Who’s cooking in your kitchen? Let me know your favorite recipe to cook with your little ones. If you need a suggestion, try Can you make a Snake Pancake?  

PS- Always make a tempting treat for your chef in training to enjoy.

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My jolly giant has a great green thumb and his efforts produce. At times, it is more than I am able to manage. I offer to share with friends but I typically have few takers. Which leaves an abundance that is hard to manage  with Mother Nature’s schedule. Her schedule and my schedule do not always line up properly to manage the garden and fruit trees. I have learned an important fact.

Produce waits for no one.

Every year, I try to do a better job than the year before to use the offerings or share but it does not always work out the way that I envision. The citrus is particularly difficult due to the time of year that it ripens. I will do better next year!

The citrus fruit is plentiful and requires processing. You can only eat or drink so much juice when fruit is ready on the vine. I have found that freezing is the fastest method for preserving fruit juice. I believe that it retains  nutritional benefits more in the freezer method versus canning.

For large amounts of juice, freezer bags work well. Always freeze in the size container that you may want to use at any given time. In an effort to re-purpose or recycle and limit cost, I save small glass containers from spice jars, pimento jars, horseradish etc. This allows me to save small amounts of juice and freeze different sizes.

Once I have I used up the original item in the glass jar, I will soak in water or run through the dishwasher to remove the label. Then set aside in a designated area until needed. Prior to use, I will run through the dishwasher to sterilize the jar. For citrus juice, allow jars to cool before adding any juice.

Nothing is worse than trying to prepare a spontaneous dish and realize that your missing an ingredient as simple as citrus juice. Citrus juice is used in so many different types of recipes:

Cocktails
Desserts
Appetizers
Seafood
Soup
Salad or salad dressings

One of my favorite recipes that I use orange or satsuma juice in is  It’s Not Your Mama’s Tater Pie. If you like sweet potatoes but want an upgraded version, take a look at this recipe. It is a slice of delicious.  View the dessert section or use this link for It’s Not Your Mama’s Tater Pie

Preserving and freezing your excess will aid in limiting waste and cost. If your purchasing citrus in the grocery store or market it is typically cheaper to buy a bag versus a tiny amount. Fruit and vegetables are cheaper when they are in season. It is lovely reach in the freezer in lieu of a trip to grocery store.

After you prepare the juice, use a marker or make a label to name what type of juice. If you want to go an extra step, measure juice in jar and label on glass.  After it is frozen it is harder to recognize. On the glass jars, I prefer the marker because it is quick and easy.

For many reasons, preserving is a valuable tool for us to learn and blend into our homes. It is another way to recycle and help our environment  by utilizing glass containers that we already have from purchases. It only takes an extra step  or two to start.

Shout out to Alexa for Meghan Trainor for a upbeat-get-your-body moving song. I need this music to keep me moving while I process this citrus.

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