Friday, April 18, 2008
The Agarita Chronicles: An Introduction to the Chronicles
When I purchased my home on 2 acres in Dripping Springs, Texas, in December of 2006, I was concerned by the abundance of wild thorny bushes crowding against my live oaks and poking me on strolls across my newly acquired land. "Agarita is agarivating" was my cry. I vowed that all would be removed.
However, work and interior renovations took priority and, thankfully so. Before I had the opportunity to begin systematically removing these holly-like bushes, I read an article in edibleAustin about how the author's ancestors used berries from the agarita plants to make wine.
Whoa, Nelly. Now you have my attention.
She went on to say that the berries can be used in jelly and pies. Oddly enough, I like wine and jelly and pies. In doing some research, I found that most people make jelly. I did find recipes for agarita wine, but even popular dictionary definitions tend to limit it to being "used in jelly". I believed in my culinary gut that agarita berry could be so much more, but by the time I read the article, the berries from my agarita were gone. However, my determination to harvest those berries the next season and make something delicious with them remained. So, for the past year, I have waited. And waited.
Until now.
Agarita time is almost upon us. I spotted my first berries yesterday. Just a few, but enough to get my agarita juices flowing.
The last time I was this obsessed with a berry was when I lived in the Netherlands as a child and I was infatuated with currants. I rode my bike to the fruit and vegetable-monger and purchased "een kilo, alstublieft".
As it turned out, one kilogram of currants is quite a lot of currants when one is 9 years old has absolutely no idea what to do with 2.2046 pounds of tiny red berry. But they were a lovely color. Until they rotted and my mom threw them away.
But, currants are no longer my obsession au courant and my culinary skills have grown since then. The question is what will I make with my agarita berries? All will be chronicled.
However, work and interior renovations took priority and, thankfully so. Before I had the opportunity to begin systematically removing these holly-like bushes, I read an article in edibleAustin about how the author's ancestors used berries from the agarita plants to make wine.
Whoa, Nelly. Now you have my attention.
She went on to say that the berries can be used in jelly and pies. Oddly enough, I like wine and jelly and pies. In doing some research, I found that most people make jelly. I did find recipes for agarita wine, but even popular dictionary definitions tend to limit it to being "used in jelly". I believed in my culinary gut that agarita berry could be so much more, but by the time I read the article, the berries from my agarita were gone. However, my determination to harvest those berries the next season and make something delicious with them remained. So, for the past year, I have waited. And waited.
Until now.
Agarita time is almost upon us. I spotted my first berries yesterday. Just a few, but enough to get my agarita juices flowing.
The last time I was this obsessed with a berry was when I lived in the Netherlands as a child and I was infatuated with currants. I rode my bike to the fruit and vegetable-monger and purchased "een kilo, alstublieft".
As it turned out, one kilogram of currants is quite a lot of currants when one is 9 years old has absolutely no idea what to do with 2.2046 pounds of tiny red berry. But they were a lovely color. Until they rotted and my mom threw them away.
But, currants are no longer my obsession au courant and my culinary skills have grown since then. The question is what will I make with my agarita berries? All will be chronicled.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
