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Great Americans: Pokeberry

Originally reprinted from "The Monday Garden"

issue 70, July 27, 2003,

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picture: pokeberry bud, flower, green fruit, ripe fruit, bare fruit stalk

This article has been updated and replaced by Issue 132. There’s lots of new pictures but I still haven’t found a recipe for pokeberry wine. If you have one, lots of people are looking for it, so please post a comment.

Thanks for all your encouraging comments on the original article; I hope you enjoy the new pictures.

Sue


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Photo credits: Sue Sweeney
© Sue Sweeney 2003


What the readers said:

Very nice!! Interesting to say the least. I love the way the sun shine was captured through the leaves. Lin (NY)

We took a drive to the Sound, showing a friend from Austria … We passed that beautiful garden … walked over to look … and stopped by a pokeberry plant. My friend asked me what it was - I said "I have no idea, but I know someone who would!" And then there this is this afternoon! Marc (CT)

Comments (9)

Todd:


Hey,

Interesting article. Poke is very tasty. Whether or not any nutrients survive double boiling is anyone's guess.

Here's my recipe for Poke Sallet. Double boil the poke and set aside. Fry several strips of bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and crumble into tiny pieces. To the bacon grease add 3-5 cloves of garlic and sweat the garlic flavor into the bacon grease. Once that's done the cloves themselves can be disgarded. At this point you'd turn up the heat and add 1 large white or yellow onion which had been chopped into large chunks. Fry for about 30 seconds to one minute before adding the Poke. Fry the onions and Poke together until the onions are barley translucent.

To serve, simply add the crumbled bacon bits over the poke and splash with apple cider vinegar to taste.

Recipe as taught to me by my great aunt.

Todd E.


You can also take the boiled leaves and scramble with eggs for an omelet, adding bacon or whatever you wish. I've also done this with cooked asparagus as told to me many years ago by some Italian women bunching asparagus at a farm in NJ for sale to stores. Or in sandwiches as they had for lunch. Interesting things you learn from people working in the fields and farms. I'm just now learning about a pokeberry pie that can be eaten, but have not seen any recipe for it as yet.


What about the dark orange flowered butterfly weed? There is also one that has pale faded bluish purple flowers. Can it be eaten?


I have ate poke salet all my life and always can several jars for the winter. Never have I known of it making anyone sick. I boil it twice then cook it down with one gallon water and one cup vingar. put in in the jars add one teaspoon salt to a quart and seal up. i have never lost a jar. I fed it to my children when they were growing up. I get my poke leaves tell they are taller than i am. it doesn't matter as long as you use vingar in your cook water. Now I am looking for a jelly and pie recipe. I also want to know how to make the medicine for rumatisum, does anyone know?


Hi,
My great uncle made pokeberry wine and gave me one tea spoonful every day when I was a small child.
I was looking for a recipe for the wine.
My family has also always eaten the "poke sallet".
But, only the young leaves.
Not more than a foot and half high.


I want to ask Granny Smith if she has found that Poke Berry Pie recipe yet? I am still looking for it. Dorene


I have heard of polkberry wine and that it is used for arthuritis, would love a reciept for the wine


Pokeberry Jelly? Sure! This recipe comes from a book I've had for a while... Wildflowers of Eastern America, by John E. Klimas and James A. Cunningham (Galahad Books, New York). It's a great book for anyone in the Atlantic States; there is a lot of useful information in it.
I've tried this recipe and found it beautiful to look at (jewel-like purple), but quite tart.

Pokeberry Jelly (Late Summer-Fall)
Gater Pokeberry bunches in late summer. Strip berries from the stalks. Put into cloth bag and mash and squeeze out the pulp. Since the juice may irritate the skin, wear rubber gloves. Filter the pulp through paper toweling to get a clear jelly.

1/2 cup Pokeberry juice
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 box "Sure Jel" or equivalent

Add "Sure Jel" to liquids and bring to a heavy boil. Add sugar and continue boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim if necessary. Pour into prepared glasses and seal. Makes about 3 pints. (Note: Pokeberries are toxic if eaten fresh, especially when they contain the seeds, and so are uncooked Poke stalks and leaves.)


I am a thirty year old housewife with severe (RA).My mother thinks that pokeberry wine could help . we are searching for the recipe if anyone
has it or other sugest I would love to hear from
you !!


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