On trees, and dogs, and taste buds.
To me, nature is the utmost culinary inspiration (not very profound when you think about where food comes from). And yet sometimes the season will just throw an ingredient at you, implore you to use it… and you go about life, somehow blind to the abundance.
It could start while you’re walking the dog, she’s tugging at the leash, until you find yourself under a shady tree whispering heatedly at her to stop eating those! Then you’re invited to chat and sit on towels over long grass with a cool drink in hand; berries gently plop onto the sun-warmed cloth and ants rush to the sticky scene.
Later you discuss the tree, its merits, while on other missions of the day. You hear tale of pie, of a path lined by forgotten about trees which now simply ache with ripe fruit. It’s not until you are utterly surrounded do you realize: it’s mulberry season!
Patches of sidewalk and the soles of shoes are stained purple… the dog was right all along… let’s chow down.
Mulberry Granita
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 cups mulberries
- juice from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water and honey. Once honey is dissolved, add in mulberries. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until the berries are soft. Gently mash with the back of a fork or potato masher.
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Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the leftover seeds and skins (eat these like a compote or fresh jam within a few days--delightful!). Pour the strained liquid into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer.
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Every 1/2 hour (or hour) for about three hours, run a fork through this mixture and stir up the ice crystals. Do so until you feel your excuse to stick your head in the freezer has run its course.
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Before serving, take out of the freezer and let sit on the counter for a few minutes. Take the fork and rake up all the crystals, gently fluffing as you go along.
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Serves 4, in delicate glass or crystal stemware, of course.
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Garnish with young mulberry leaves (edible!) and a few whole mulberries if you desire.
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