Adventures in camera trapping and zoology, with frequent flashbacks and blarney of questionable relevance.
About Me
- Camera Trap Codger
- Native Californian, biologist, wildlife conservation consultant, retired Smithsonian scientist, father of two daughters, grandfather of four. INTJ. Believes nature is infinitely more interesting than shopping malls. Born 100 years too late.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Bitter cherry sauce
I was on the trail with Fred the other morning when I caught a fleeting glimpse of a small creature eyeing me through the thimbleberry bushes.
As it humped down the trail its black-streaked tail gave it away -- gray fox. Not a surprise.
Fred of course was oblivious until he stumbled into the fox's scent trail -- apparently it had been enjoying the company of a pile of horse pucky.
Fred took off like a bloodhound.
The chase was a short-lived phenomenon. Reynard abandoned the trail about 50 yards away and disappeared into the underbrush.
Fred returned with gleaming smile and hanging tongue.
It was then that I noticed I was standing in a small thicket of wild cherry trees -- bitter cherries, Prunus emarginata, to be exact.
Laden with fruit.
I hooked a limb with my stick, and was soon lost in a reverie of browsing -- the yellow and red fruit were highly edible, and Fred whined for me to share the fare.
Yes, Fred eats sour cherries. It's a bit odd.
Well, let me just say that I developed a powerful craving for bitter cherry sauce on vanilla ice cream.
The next day I picked a half gallon of the seductive fruits, and the redhead pitted the batch and cooked it into bitter cherry syrup.
It's a good excuse to eat ice cream and completely nullifies the effects of all that cholesterol.
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7 comments:
Any excuse to eat ice cream is a good one for me!
Nothing tastes half so good as that you've foraged for yourself.
www.riverwildlife.blogspot.com
I bet your cherry sauce tastes really good because you picked all those cherries yourself.
Tell Fred better luck next fox hunt. Have a great day.
Are those the same as choke cherries? Choke cherry syrup on blue corn pancakes is a must have breakfast in New Mexico.
Thanks folks.
Kirby, chokecherries are a different species and not as sweet tasting in my experience. But once upon a time I made chokecherry wine, and it was A-OK.
Excellent
Oops! I just posted a comment in the wrong spot--sorry 'bout that!
Meant to be under this Cherry Blog--I doubt picking berries has much to do with Tails.
But ya never know. :)
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