FRUITS AND BERRIES
DRIED BERRIES

Before home canning became a widely used method of food
preservation, drying was the main way to keep food through the
winter. Berries were dried whole, after crushing or after they
were boiled.

SUN-DRIED BERRIES

Berries such as huckleberries, blueberries, wild cranberries
and saskatoon berries were placed on mats to dry in the sun
for several days. Canvas is more commonly used now for drying
berries. When the berries are hard and dry, they may be stored
in a cool dry place for winter use.

To Serve
1. Soak the berries overnight in fresh water.
2. Boil for a few minutes.

3. Serve with eulachon grease and sugar.

DRIED BERRY CAKES George Myers — Stone

Mrs. McNab — Deadman’s Creek

In the last century, berries were commonly dried in cakes.

A rack, like the one used for drying meat, held the drying berry
cakes. When the rack was built for drying berries, the lengthwise
sticks on the top of the rack were split in half so they were flat
on top and about two inches wide and two inches thick. They
formed a flat platform on which was placed a layer of timber
grass about one-quarter of an inch thick. The berries were cooked
in baskets with the addition of a small amount of water. When
the berry mixture was soft and juicy it was poured over the
timber grass to a depth of one-quarter inch and Ieft to dry. When
the first layer was dry another was made on top of it until a

berry cake about three inches thick had built up. Sometimes
the finished cakes were wrapped in birch bark and stored for
winter |

For serving, the berry cake was broken into serving sized
chunks and dropped into a basket. A small amount of water was
added and when the water was absorbed the pieces of berry cake
were eaten. They were reported to taste like jam. In coastal areas
eulachon grease was added before serving. When sugar became
available it was added to the cooked berry juice.

ELDERBERRIES Rose and Alfred Davidson —

Haida

Early summer is the time when elderberries ripen, they are
best for canning when firm and ripe. The berries grow on tall
bushes in small, grape-like clusters. The clusters are often
broken into one inch groups, and the berries are left attached
to the stems.

To Can

1. Filla preserving kettle with berries.

2. Add one quart of water and simmer the fruit for one-half
hour. No sugar is added.

3. Bring the fruit to a boil and boil twenty minutes, stirring
occasionaily.

4. Fill hot sterilized canning jars with the hot berry mixture.

5. Clean the top and threads of each jar and adjust the cap.

To Serve

Mix a 32 oz. jar of elderberries with:
]—2 tablespoons of eulachon grease
1/2 cup sugar
] package frozen blueberries or
fresh blueberries to taste (optional)

28