Mulberries

You're unlikely to find mulberries at the grocery store, but you might spot them at farmers' markets. They are not grown commercially due to their labor-intensive harvest and very short shelf life — making them primarily a wild, foraged food.

When foraging, look for firm berries that haven't been pecked by birds or damaged by insects. A handy technique: hold an umbrella upside down, jostle the branches with the handle, and the loose berries will fall right into the open umbrella. Alternatively, shake the tree onto a tarp.

Mulberries ripen from hard and greenish-white through pink and red to a deep purple with red undertones. As they ripen they get sweeter and lose their acidic bite. Since ripeness varies on a single tree, taste as you go to find your preferred stage.

Ripe mulberries are fragile — they stain and damage easily, much like brambles. If you plan to cook with them, any container works since you'll crush them anyway. For whole, beautiful berries for dessert toppings or charcuterie boards, pick them into shallow trays or metal containers (which won't stain). Don't mound them and avoid soft bags.

Refrigerate immediately in an airtight container lined with paper towel. Wait to wash them until right before use. They will keep for just a day or two in the fridge.

Substitution: Mulberries are a perfect — and often free — substitute for any bramble berry in pies, jams, jellies, compotes, sauces, and desserts. Because you can typically harvest so many at once, they're ideal whenever a recipe calls for a large quantity of berries.

Savory Uses: Like other berries, mulberries work beautifully in savory recipes. Try a mulberry BBQ sauce or a mulberry-balsamic reduction to drizzle over roasted vegetables or sustainably raised meat. They can also be juiced.

Sorbet & Sweets: Their deep color and sweet-tart flavor make mulberries outstanding in sorbet, ice cream, and fruit tarts.

Freezing: Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to bags. Frozen mulberries retain their flavor well and can be used in smoothies, baking, and sauces.

Jam & Jelly: Turning mulberries into jam or jelly is a great way to develop their flavors into something even more memorable. Their natural pectin content makes them good candidates for preserves.

Maceration: A simple technique — toss berries with sugar and a splash of vinegar or spirits — that elevates their flavor and, depending on ingredients, can preserve them for short-term use.

Drying: Mulberries can be dried at home or purchased dried. Look for certified organic if pesticides are a concern.

Mulberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C and are rich in anthocyanins — the flavonoid pigments responsible for their deep purple-red color. Anthocyanins are associated with anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits and are the same compounds found in blueberries and cherries.

Humans have been caring for the mulberry for more than 5,000 years — not primarily for the fruit, but because white mulberry leaves are the sole food of the Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm. The vast majority of silk in the world began as mulberry leaves transformed by a caterpillar.

Those notorious purple sidewalk stains? Blame anthocyanins, the same type of flavonoid that gives red, purple, and blue color to many fruits, flowers, and vegetables.

The green parts of a mulberry tree — and very unripe green berries — contain a white sap that is toxic. It can cause skin irritation, and consuming enough can lead to nervous system stimulation. Stick to ripe, fully colored berries.

Environmental Benefits: Mulberries grow on trees, which are excellent for the environment — holding soil, preventing erosion, providing habitat, cooling the local climate, and sequestering carbon. Foraged mulberries also require zero transportation or packaging, making them one of the most sustainable foods you can eat.

Pesticides: Locally foraged mulberries are generally pesticide-free, as the trees are hardy and not highly susceptible to pests. For dried mulberries, look for certified organic. Note that mulberries grown for silk production (not food) are subject to less regulated pesticide use.

Species & Cultivation: There are three main species: red (Morus rubra), native to North America and the best choice for home planting; white (Morus alba), introduced for silkworm cultivation; and black (Morus nigra), from Asia, considered by many to have the best flavor for eating. The season runs from late spring through mid-summer, with a long, generous fruiting window.