IN A JAM?
At this time of year I don't worry about deadheading the Fuchsias; I leave the berries on for the birds and love the different shapes and shades of deep claret they have.
Do you eat or have you used Fuchsia berries in cooking? I think it depends on the variety you grow as to how sweet they are. I found this recipe for jam on the British Fuchsia Society's site.
600 g ripe fuchsia berries
200 g sugar
juice of half a lemon
2 tbs pectin.
Heat sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, let it cool and add the cleaned berries and lemon juice. Heat to boiling point with the pectin and boil until a jelly forms. Pour into heated jars and seal.
I've also read of the petals being candied and used in ice-cream. Fuchsia boliviana berries were once popular with the Incas and I understand can still be found sold in markets South America. Is this true?Please share your experiences....this could be a free food source I've missed!!! Better still...can you make wine with them????
It's a miserable day here; cold and wet...just perfect for doing homework and research as I won't be tempted by the great outdoors. We had an interesting lecture yesterday. Richard Reddie the author of the book Abolition
came to speak to us as part of the Bicentenary of the Abolition Of The Slave Trade Act. It was really informative and I had never realised how many of our cities and financial institutions owed their existence to the Slave Trade. Certainly something that was glossed over in the History lessons I had at school.
21 comments:
Gorgeous autumnal photos as always, and a jam made out of fushcia seed heads sounds fun - but I would not be tempted to try the ones in my garden for fear of poisoning anyone - and wasting all the time, effort, and ingredients - but I would certainly love to try some!
Its great to read that you are really enjoying your college course - seems to be just what you needed.
You will pass with flying colours
You mean at other times of year you do dead head fuschias? I dead head roses and that's about all. Mind you, I'm not very big on flowers. Fruit and veg is more my line. So I'm interested to hear you can eat fuschia berries. I'd never heard of that.
I didn't know you could eat them! I bet that lecture was a real eye opener. x x x
But they don't leave that many berries... do they? Or don't they. Not many fuscias grow here in the ghetto ;->...
BTW it was meant to be me dribbling when I've drunk too much
or wearing a dunce's cap while doing same:
<;D...
hang on where's my nose?
<;-D...
I never knew that about fushcia!
The slave trade was BIG business! There was a programme on the television about it just recently, can't remember which side though.
That slave trade lecture sounds fascinating. And I never knew you could make jam out of fuschias!
Wow! Wonder how fuschia seeds would go with a toad in the hole???
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm scuttles off into the garden with a bucket, a LARGE bucket! LOL!
you must have an awful lot of fushcias to get enough berries for jam! did you know there are still slaves in UK? I was fascinated and horrified to read a book recently by a Sudanese woman who was abducted and held as a slave in England! The book is called Slave, by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis, published by virago. sounds like you are really enjoying your studies! yay
Hi Ruth, ell thats certainly new to me, I have never heard that before, just goes to show how many things go to waste each year that we could eat .
Cheers Mark
Big reveal on Monday....
I did know fuchsias could be eaten, or dead-headed. Thanks for letting us know.
Hadn't heard of this before Ruth. Rosehips yes, but not fuschias.
Let us know how it turns out, if you find time to make it, with all your studies that is..!
Still laughing at Gledwoods little face...LOL
Hi Ruth, Fuschias in cooking is a new one with me, but I will look into this more, I'm always ready to try something new that grows wild..
I had no idea you could eat any kind of fushia berries! Have you been brave enough to try, I would be afraid of poisoning :-) Glad you are enjoying your lectures :-) Keep up the good work.
The lecture sounded truly interesting, sounds like your enjoying the course :)
Didnt know that about the fushia berries either Im a little wary about any berries after one of my daughters swelled like a balloon after eating some when she was little either blackberries or blueberries x Auds
Great to read you posts. I am glad you are enjoying your lectures.
I must admit I've never tried it myself and don't think I have enough fuchsia berries at the moment. Yes Melanie I do dead head for most of the summer :o) Thanks all for dropping by. I'll look out for that book suzi-k. And I love all your faces Gleds..must remember the dunces cap one..LOL
Rx
I had no idea that fuschia berries were edible! I have learned so much by reading your two most recent posts! :o)
I had no idea you could eat berries from fuschias! I always learn so much from you, Ruth!
Deadheading is one of the reasons I am so lazy about growing flowers. Impatiens are my favorite flower since you don't have to deadhead them, they bloom all summer, they come in many different colors, and you don't have to weed them since they spread out so nicely. But it means my flower garden doesn't have much variety so I've been trying to branch out more, with varying success!
I've been looking for the recipe for Fushia Jam so I could show my wife that really is such a thing. I'm not sure that she belives me. My mother used to make it and it was delicious.
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