Garden Kitchen

Strawberry tree fruit jelly

(Photo LOF – strawberry tree blossoms)

On seeing the strawberry trees in blossom I realized that I had forgotten to publish the recipe for strawberry tree fruit jelly. I wish I could just say strawberries instead of strawberry tree fruit (STF)

Pick the STF when ripe, rinse, add wtaer to just cover the fruit. Cook for 1 hour on low heat.When they are cooked crush them with a potatoe masher.Put a cheese cloth in your strainer which should be in a large pot or bowl.Pour the mixture into the cloth, close it and press the cloth to extract the juice.Weight it. You’ll need equal parts juice/sugar. It is easiest to use sugar with the pection already added.

Unless you are dealing with a fruit expert, when you spread strawberry tree fruit jelly on toast, you wonder what it could be.It has a discreet flavour. So you should always add “It is homemade strawberry tree fruit jelly”.

The likely answer is “not bad, original !”  Because its not bad and it is original.

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Strawberry tree fruit

 
(Photo LOF - Strawberry tree)

 Strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo - Strawberry tree) are very hardy in a mediterranean climate. The portuguese say they are "brave", though it doesn't mean courageous but just that they grow in the wild. Strawberry trees are evergreen and can be pruned to make very good hedges.

The fruit starts out almost white, turns yellow in September to a cheery orange then red in October. When they are red they are ripe. Being ripe in the life of a strawberry tree fruit is short. They quickly become soft and mushy and being rich in sugar they start to ferment. The birds adore them but can hardly fly straight, they get so drunk. Even humans get quite jovial and talkative during harvest.

The fruit end up as jam, compote, jelly, syrup or liqeur. the italians make vinager out of them and the Portuguese make an eau de vie "Arguardente de Medronho". The " In Loco" association is doing research to improve Medronho.

At Lugar do Olhar Feliz, we eat strawberry tree fruit fresh off the tree. If they get too ripe we put them in a good red wine where they make a delicated scented and excellent sangria.
(Photo LOF - strawberry tree October 17th)

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