juneberries in july.
here's what i have since learned about juneberries. Amelanchier (or the juneberry) is also known as serviceberry, shadberry, saskatoon berry, and my personal favorite, the chuckley pear.
juneberry refers to the fruits of certain species becoming ripe in june (not so much in northern minnesota). the name saskatoon originated from the cree name misâskwatômina for this berry.
the city of saskatoon, saskatchewan is named after this plant!
service berry comes from the time of year when the fruit blossoms out east. in the spring, the roads had cleared and the ground had thawed enough for preachers to pass through the mountains and bury the dead from the winter.
on a related note, please refrain from eating more than 10 pounds of the berries in one sitting. there is a toxin present that if consumed in excessive quantities can be fatal.
so! juneberries. they are very versatile. i used them in place of blueberries (it is a sad, sad year for blueberries my friends). juneberries have a deeper, drier flavor than blueberries. consider complimenting with brown sugar and additional liquid.
juneberry pie
1 recipe of pie dough (see last post)
4 cups of juneberries
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
preheat oven to 450f.
prepare dough (roll out to desired size).
mix berries, flour, sugar, lemon, and nutmeg.
fill prepared pie plate(s). top with crust, vent. brush with with egg and sprinkle with sugar if you like.
bake for 15 minutes and then reduce oven tempt to 350f. bake for 20-30 minutes longer. until the pie is golden brown and the berries are bubbly goodness.
