The American Beauty berry is one of my favorite plants. When I was a child, they grew wild in the woods behind our house and we pick the berries and make all kinds of make believe concoctions with them – nothing that we ever really consumed. Many years later when we lived in Nevada, MO, there were beauty berries growing in the woods next to our house but I never had time to harvest any and make jelly. When we were deciding what to plant here, and we were trying to stick mostly with native plants, I asked Vince to plant beauty berry and he planted three.
I’ve been watching these berries, waiting for them to be completely ripe but I knew deer and other critters were watching them too.
Today I decided the berries were getting ripe enough to harvest so . . I harvested them and made jelly.
I didn’t harvest all the berries and there’s probably enough to make another batch. I left some that weren’t quite as ripe and if I can leave those for a few days and then harvest them and get another batch of jelly, I’ll be very happy! Seven half pints means we have to ration the jelly a bit. If I could get a second batch and get 7 half pints, that would mean one half pint per month, and two half pints to share.
The jelly is such a gorgeous shade of reddish pink. It is so delicious. I am not sure I can describe it but it’s somewhat floral and light and refreshing – not overpowering and not a flavor that’s easily recognized. Vince will say “It reminds me of something!” But he never comes up with what it is. I wouldn’t use it to make peanut butter & jelly but on a slice of toast . . it may be my favorite. This morning we had blueberry jam on biscuits and to me, while I love blueberry jam, it’s a bit overpowering – not what I would call “light” at all. We love it but it’s always nice to have a much lighter, more floral type jelly like the beauty berry jelly.
What are your thoughts?