Saskatoon Berries

It has been a long treasured wild fruit in the prairies but now its importance is growing as a cultivated crop. The Saskatoon is actually part of the pome family and the fruit is not a berry but an apple.

The North American species is know by various common names: service berry; may cherry; june berry; june bush; shad bush; shadblow; shad berry; shad blossom; shad wood; sugar pear; Indian pear; grape pear; lancewood; box wood.

There are only a couple farms in Eastern Ontario that are involved with Saskatoon production, ourselves being one of them.

They are ready for picking approximately the 2nd week of July.

Recipe

Saskatoon Berry Chutney
1/2 cup Saskatoon Berry Puree
3 oz sundried cherries
2 oz sundried cranberries
2 oz red onion "small dice"
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp ancho chilli paste
4 cloves roasted garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1. Soak dried fruit in hot water, rinse and strain
2. Chop all ingredients in a food processor - leave fairly chunky
3. Mix all together until smooth and keep in a jar for 2-3 days for flavour to develop

Saskatoon Streusel Muffins (as seen on the A Channel Morning Show)

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Butter
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups fresh or frozen Saskatoon Berries

1) Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl
2) Cut in butter
3) Set aside 3/4 cup of mixture; mix cinnamon into reserved mixture
4) Combine Milk with eggs and vanilla and add to flour mixture; Stir just until moistened
5) Stir saskatoons in gently
6) Spoon batter into 12 large buttered or paperlined muffin cups
7) Sprinkle each with the reserved cinnamon/crumb mixture.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan.