September will leave you all juiced up about berries

September used to be a lovely month.

A few years ago, we could depend upon a first frost by at least Memorial Day. While it did rain in September, we could count on plenty of those sunny Indian summer days to enjoy a walk through the woods, breathing in the scent of ripe high-bush cranberries and filling our berry buckets to the brim.

This year, we finally had our first frost by the middle of September, just a couple of sunny days and plenty of rain to chill us right into our sweaters and coats. Fortunately, there’s plenty of cooking, juicing and jamming to do to warm and cheer us right into the fall.

You know — the fall that comes before we nosedive into winter?

If you don’t have a copy of the “Alaska Wild Berry Guide and Cookbook” you should. I’m still working in the 1982 version, but it’s still in print and revised. When friends ask about recipes for berry catsup, I send them straight to this book.

I have several old and out-of-print Alaskan cookbooks, but this is the best reference and collection of recipes for our berry pickers by far. And for novice pickers, there are plenty of photos and information in the identification guide to keep you out of trouble.

That doggy smell in the air after the first frost tells me the high-bush cranberries are ready for picking.

While the guide book people suggest picking them when they’re under-ripe to avoid bitterness, many would disagree. Berries become softer and more palatable after the frost, but they have lower pectin at this point.

A highly underrated berry, viburnum edule, is a member of the honeysuckle family and makes beautiful ruby red jelly. But my favorite is the piquant spicy catsup that tastes great on ham, pork, turkey and even plain old hamburgers.

These catsup recipes are flexible enough for those who find they don’t have all the proper ingredients.

My friend Liz threw caution to the wind and substituted balsamic vinegar with garam masala, a spice combination used in Indian cuisine. Toss in some raspberries or nectarines that have gone soft if you’re short on cranberries. Experiment!

Sara Juday at Alaska Northwest Books has graciously consented us permission to reprint my favorite recipe from the “Alaska Wild Berry Guide and Cookbook.”

Enjoy!

High-bush Cranberry Catsup

6 pounds high-bush cranberries

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 1/4 pounds sweet white onions

1 tablespoon allspice

3 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

3 cups mild vinegar

2 tablespoons celery salt

6 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 tablespoon cloves

Cook berries and onions in the water until soft. Put thorough a sieve and return the pulp to saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thick and catsup-like in consistency. Stir frequently to keep from sticking. Pour into sterilized canning jars and seal immediately. Process for five to 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

If you haven’t got time to get out into the woods and pick berries, you can pick them in your own backyard.

Europeans have been using American mountain ash tree berries for centuries to make wine, cider, ales, and a jelly that goes well with any game meat or cheese. The fruit of the ash is rich in vitamin C and has been used in many herbal remedies. Try using an apple jelly recipe and substitute the berries for half the apples. As with most berries, it’s best to freeze them at least overnight for more efficient juicing. Most old world recipes call for picking Rowan berries after the first frosts to improve the flavor as well.

Choke cherries are another backyard berry we take for granted and leave to the birds, but early pioneers turned them into syrups, jellies, fruit vinegar and potent cordials. While completely inedible raw, as their name implies, when juiced down and mixed with sweetener they make a wonderful jelly. One of my favorite jellies was a surprise my dad made when he mixed black currant juice half and half with choke cherry juice. It tasted like it had allspice and nutmeg in it and reminded me of mom’s spice cake! If you go to www.cooks.com and search for “choke cherry” you’ll find lots of recipes — even one for the old American Indian favorite pemmican. Of course, you’ll need a buffalo and 16 pounds of berries to make this.

Brrrr. Throw another log on the fire and stir the catsup!

Brooke Heppinstall, artist and gardener, is the owner of Wool Wood Studio & Gardens, an art studio and nursery specializing in Alaska-grown perennials and shrubs. Visit online at www.woolwood.blogspot.com