Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Fruit of the Week: Saskatoon berry


Name: Saskatoon berry or serviceberry

Brand: Canada's

Place of Purchase: Dahl's, Ankeny, Iowa

Country/Region of Origin: Canada

Price in Iowa: $5 for a tin of jam

Description: bright blue berries resembling blueberries

Flavor: Very sweet. A combination of grape and huckleberry, with interesting wine notes as an aftertaste.

Aroma: sweet grape

Texture/Mouth-feel: juicy, seedy like blueberry

Notes: This fruit is uniquely-flavored, but trends among the berries. Many of the flavors are starting to resemble each other. Perhaps it has something to do with the high levels of vitamin C and anthocyanins? Maybe I should see if there are similar flavors to be found in red cabbage? Anyhoo, saskatoon berries were super sweet, winey and close to huckleberry. Considering that it is a hardy plant, most people in the Great White North rely on the "serviceberry" to add a bit of sweetness to their lives. I'm actually thinking about taking a trip up to Saskatchewan next year during harvest time.


I had to get the jam to try this fruit. With Fall here I'm beginning to realize that finding fresh fruit is going to be a challenge. The down-side to this is that I'm stockpiling a lot of jams. So, I've decided to start making tarts. No reason for good preserves to go to waste.

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