Fruit recipes

The beautiful Barberry (Nat. Ord. Berberidacee), with its brilliant red clusters of minute, juicy ovals of pulp, is known all over the world in temperate and colder climates except in Australia—either as the common Bar- berry or the Ash-leaved Berry, the latter, however, being insipid or unpleasant in flavour. The former, Berberis vulgaris, is not only extremely ornamental but its tartness is of decided value and so recognised, scientifically, in France, where malic acid is manufactured from the berries. A certain, smaller per cent. of citric acid is associated with the malic acid but the latter is its chief source of acidity and value. These loose bunches of little oval berries are generally too acid and astringent to be pleasing as food in their natural condition of ripeness (admitting exceptions), but cooked, a syrup, preserves, jelly, and jam of fine flavour and colour are made from them, and in tarts they rival the cranberry. Also, some varieties are susceptible of being dried in the sun and kept indefinitely for future use, The bark and the root are used in tropical countries for tanning and dyeing yellow. Their juice is refrigerant and anti-scorbutic and they are used in fevers for their cooling effect and in diarrhceas a preparation of them is fre- quently prescribed by some physicians because of the malic acid which so effectively kills germs of this type. In larger doses they are cathartic; in small ones tonic and laxative. THE MAY APPLE Another member of the Berberidacee is the American May Apple (Podophyllum peltatum), sometimes called mandrake but not related to the mandrake proper (Man- dragora officinarum, Nat. Ord. Solanacee, or the Night- A CLUSTER OF BERRIES 147 shade Family) or the mandrake of the ancients, and the May Apple is the only species of the genus. It is also poisonous by report, so far as the plant itself is concerned, but the root is used medicinally, though too violent in nature to be safe except under medical direction. The fruit is not poisonous, however, and’ ‘‘may be eaten freely with impunity ’’ (Wood and Bache). It deserves to be ex- perimented with further, its flavour being delicious for marmalades. THE CHECKERBERRY The names: Checkerberry, Boxberry, Partridge Berry, or Wintergreen, are familiarly applied to two different berries, one the Gaultheria, of the Heath Family, the other the Mitchella repens, or Winter Clover, of the Madder Family. It is the former from which is distilled the oil of wintergreen and whose berries are so enticingly gay and spicy. The flowers of the Mitchella are pretty and scented but the berries, though edible and keeping all through the winter, become dry and tasteless. They possess medicinal virtues in being tonic and soothing and have been used in dropsy and other troubles. THE WINTER CHERRY The Winter Cherry, or Physalis, although of the Night- shade Family (Solanacee) is one of most picturesque of real food berries, a sweet, succulent morsel of yellow, green, purple, or red, hiding away in a dainty green or yellow nest, unsuspected by those unfamiliar with it. This Ground or Winter Cherry is a friendly little thing, muking open over- tures to cultivation, running wild by inherited habit but often entering gardens of its own accord and remaining, when encouraged,.as a permanent resident. There are numerous species, among them the Alkekengi, or “Strawberry To- mato,” or ‘‘Love Apple,’’ and the ‘‘ Peruvian Gooseberry,” 148 FRUIT RECIPES