“M” Is for Freezing Mulberries

Mulberries are one of Earth’s little treasures. Not only do they taste wonderful right of the tree but they are actually good for you. They are a good source of antioxidants, nature’s little workhorses that help protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. They also provide anthocyanin, beta-carotene, calcium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, fatty acids, iron, magnesium, malic Acid, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and resveratrol, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin K.

Now that you know they taste good and they are good for you, you probably want to know what to do with them. Well, they can be used in any of your favorite recipes in place of other berries. Just substitute equal part mulberries for whatever your original recipe calls for and you’re in business.

I picked the first batch of mulberries today from the five year old tree in my back yard. It is the first time the tree has produced and I am pleased with the harvest. I got a little less than 1 quart of berries from the first picking and will return again over the coming days and weeks.

This first batch is going into the freezer. I like to have a variety of berries on hand throughout the year for different things. Mulberries can be frozen like any other berries.

A thought about the stems: When mulberries are picked, their tiny green stem comes with them. There is no way around that. Whether to leave them on or remove them is a matter of personal preference. The stems are edible and really have no taste. Removing them by hand often results in most of the berries being mashed. This isn’t a problem if you plan to make jam, jelly or something of that nature. If you want them in a pie or muffins though, you may want to remove the stems. Get a brand new pair of nail clippers and simply clip the stems off. It is time consuming but gets the job done while leaving the berries intact. It is my personal belief that the business of removing stems is one reason mulberries are not sold in the grocery stores. It is probably too expensive to pay someone to remove the stems.

Once you have resolved the stem issue, rinse the berries. Make a solution that is 1 quart tap water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps remove any impurities, including tiny insects that might be lurking in the berries. Repeat the process several times, rinsing with just water the last time. Let the berries rest in a colander for ten minutes to remove all the excess water.

Spread the mulberries on a baking sheet with a lip. The berries should be in a single layer and not resting on top of one another. Place the pan in the freezer on a level surface for about 10 to 12 hours. The berries will be frozen solid but will not be suck to one another. Putting all the fresh berries in a freezer bag and tossing them in the freezer will work but will result in one giant block of frozen berries. You would not be able to remove just a few at a time. By freezing them on the pan, you can then pour them into labeled freezer bags, seal and store for six months. When you need just 1 cup for a muffin recipe, simply open the bag and scoop out what you need. This method works for most berries.

Muffins, pancakes, coffee cakes, cobblers, crisps and crumbles are all wonderful with mulberries. I like to add them to my smoothie recipe too. That makes a wonderfully refreshing and healthy cold drink on a hot summer day.

If you want to know more about growing your own mulberry trees, see the posts on my Fruit, Nut and Ornamental Trees 101 blog: Growing Mulberry Trees and Mulberries Fruiting Now.

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Posted in: freezing,how-to,mulberries,nutrition

“I” Is for Inexperienced

You may be a little afraid to try food preservation at home, especially if you have no one on hand to walk you through the process.  We were all inexperienced at one point. It’s like learning to read. Once you learn the letters and the sounds they make, you can begin making words. It is the same with any new thing learned.

I recommend starting easy. Dehydrating foods is one of the simplest ways to preserve foods. Many foods required nothing more than slicing into small pieces and distributing on the drying trays. Sealing the finished goods in sealable plastic bags or in mason jars completes the task.

Freezing is also a simple process for many foods. Take blueberries for example. Pick through them to remove any damaged, spoiled or under-ripened berries. Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and place the tray in the freezer. Wait a few hours and pour the frozen fruits into freezer containers and seal. Label, date and you are done.

So don’t let your inexperience keep you from trying your hand at food preservation. Keep coming back and we will move through the foods and the seasons, learning the best ways to keep foods fresh and tasty.

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Posted in: blueberries,canning,dehydrating,food preservation,freezing,techniques

“H” Is for Huge

For the A to Z Blogging Challenge, my letter for today’s post is H. At first I was daunted by this but then it came to me. Preserving your own food stocks is huge, huge in many ways.

Huge Investment of Time

This is especially true if you grow much of your own food. Even if you buy the produce or meats, you are still investing a good deal of time in the selection, preparation, processing and storing of the food. While dehydrating foods takes very little time and freezing often even less, canning can take wole days or weekends to complete.

Huge Amounts of Love

You cannot be interested in food preservation without loving both the activity and those it serves. Many people love the idea of having done it themselves, being self-sufficient. Others are motivated by the fact that they know exactly what went into each container. They are satisfied knowing they are serving the freshest healthiest foods they possibly can to their families.

Huge Cost Savings

You buy supplies, for the most part, just once. Dehydrators, canning equipment, even bag sealers are bought once and used over and over. The only consumable items are the lids for the canning jars and freezer safe bags. And the food of course! Plus, by buying foods when they are in season instead of when you want them and they are out of season, you are saving money. Buying in bulk for processing large batches can save you even more.

Home food preservation is a huge world of opportunity to learn and grow while providing for your family.

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Posted in: canning,dehydrating,food preservatoin,freezing,preparation

“A” is for Apples

I am engaging in a writing challenge that kicks off today known as the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge, which you can sign up for here. So today’s blog post is about apples and how to store them.

Apples won’t be ready to harvest for many months but now is a good time to start thinking about what you want to do with them when they are ready. Apples are one of the fruits that can be stored as is, for a long time. However, not everyone has the right environment or space to pull that off. They can be frozen, dehydrated or canned as well. It really depends on how you plan to use your apples and the space and equipment you have at your disposal.

Cold Storage

In years gone by, many homes had a root cellar, a place that saw no light and little change in the desired temperature of about 32 degrees. This is an ideal place to store apples, if you have access to such a place. Here are a few pointers before just tossing your apples in for the winter, though. You should always remove any fruit that has bruises, damage or shows signs of decay. Store the smaller apples of any variety you choose because the larger apples tend to break down first. Most apples freeze at 29 degrees or lower. Once they thaw, they will break down quickly so keeping the temperature constant at 30 to 32 degrees is ideal. The location needs to have a relative humidity of 90 to 95% otherwise the apples will dry out. Cellars and outbuildings that meet these conditions will work. You can also use Styrofoam coolers or pack them in hay or other materials to protect them from freezing. Most apples store for a minimum of 3 months and many will last for 6 months under the right circumstances.

Other Storage Considerations

Freezing, drying or canning all require processing time and some type of equipment. I will discuss these options under another post as it gets closer to harvest time. The thing you should be thinking about so you can start to shop for supplies you may not have is how you plan to use your apples. Does your family like applesauce? What about apple pie filling which can be used in a variety of ways. Would you eat more trail mix if you had dried apple bits to add to the mix? Your family’s tastes and needs will dictate the methods and the supplies you should be considering.

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Posted in: canning,cold storage,freezing