My backyard has a couple of chokecherry trees. Until a couple of years ago, they never flowered or fruited. Then what lay beneath - the potential inside - was awakened by house construction. Substantial physical abuse by way of heavy machinery and lack of water, seemed to agree with them!
Since 2017, my chokecherries have produced an abundance of fragrant blossoms all spring and copious quantities of fruit through the summer. The birds and squirrels appear to have no issue with the astringent taste and if left on the trees, the berries/cherries... or whatever they are... eventually get mostly eaten before they shrivel up and drop off at winter's onset.
Good friends of ours lamented all the choke cherries yesterday. The branches heavy and bent over. I offered them up to them for jelly making. One bottle of wine later and a few rounds of hilarious Cornhole, we forgot all about them.
I woke this morning with the motivation to try something new and decided to turn my hand to choke cherry jelly making. The back yard critters and I, struck a deal. Half of the choke cherries are mine for the jelly. Half shall be left on the trees... to be plucked and savored by them today, tomorrow, next month...
Since 2017, my chokecherries have produced an abundance of fragrant blossoms all spring and copious quantities of fruit through the summer. The birds and squirrels appear to have no issue with the astringent taste and if left on the trees, the berries/cherries... or whatever they are... eventually get mostly eaten before they shrivel up and drop off at winter's onset.
Good friends of ours lamented all the choke cherries yesterday. The branches heavy and bent over. I offered them up to them for jelly making. One bottle of wine later and a few rounds of hilarious Cornhole, we forgot all about them.
I woke this morning with the motivation to try something new and decided to turn my hand to choke cherry jelly making. The back yard critters and I, struck a deal. Half of the choke cherries are mine for the jelly. Half shall be left on the trees... to be plucked and savored by them today, tomorrow, next month...
I read online that picking the fruit is like milking a goat. Having never milked a goat, this was of limited use. But nonetheless, I used my imagination and before long had a system whereby the fruit almost fell off the teeny bunches and into my colander. Next step; wash the berries and remove as many of the leaves, dead flowers and stems as possible.
Apparently the fruit are mainly pits, a little flesh and a skin that turns from almost black, to dark pink on cooking. Jelly is made from juice only, so all I have to do is simmer this lot in water for 45 minutes or so to release the flavor and color into the water.
Mmmm...house smells fruity!
At this stage, they say you can refrigerate or freeze the juice to continue the jelly-making another day. Or go ahead with lemon juice and sugar.
And boil the heck out of it and pour into sterile (and hot) jars for immediate sealing.
There was a little left over... I poured it into a ramekin and am impatiently waiting for it to set!
I wonder what it tastes like!? Having never had choke cherry jelly before, I'm keen to have toast and jam tonight for dessert.
I wonder what it tastes like!? Having never had choke cherry jelly before, I'm keen to have toast and jam tonight for dessert.
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