Fuschia jam

[GardenFan]

In one of Bob Flowerdews books on Fruit he talks about using Fuschia berries for making Jam. I keep meaning to collect the berries off my own Fuschia bushes for having a go at this. However, has anyone ever heard of this or made it? Are any non ediable, which plants might produce big berries and be ediable?

[Shortie]

Hi GardenFan

I read about this sometime last year. Can't remember now if it was in GYO or not though..

I believe Fushia berries are supposed to be mildly sweet (i.e. not a strong flavour) and I'm ot entirely sure if all are edible or not...

[fluffymuppet]

Hello,

According to Plants for A Future, the berries of all species are edible but some don't taste very nice.

There's some information about varieties if you follow the link.

Muppet

[Crazy Chickie]

I didn't think you could eat fuchsia, but after reading the post I did a wee search and found a couple of recipies;

FUCHSIA DESERT SAUCE

Ingredients - 2 lb fuchsia fruit, 2 oz sugar, 1 teaspoon cornflour, 1½ teaspoon lemon juice and a good pinch each of cinnamon and cloves.

Method - Finely chop the fuchsia fruit. Put in pan with all the other ingredients. Simmer gentlv until the fruit is very still. Stir lightly. Serve warm or cold with ice cream or custard.


FUCHSIA FRUIT AND ONION RELISH

Ingredients - 1 lb apples, 1 lb onions, 1 lb fuchsia berries, ½ lb Demerarara sugar, 1 pint vinegar, 1 oz salt and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Method - Peel, core and chop apples. Cook with sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar until tender but not mushy. Slice onions and fuchsia berries. Mix with cooled apple mixture. Pack tightly into jars and seal. Tastes better if kept for a few weeks before eating.

[Two_Sheds]

Fuchsia jam

the berries of all species are edible but some don't taste very nice

The one I just ate certainly didn't It's made my whole mouth tingle in a quite worrying way. From another forum: "having worked in a garden center I can reliably say that every bl**dy color and variety produces a different tasting berry ~ some are really nice, some are totally tasteless and some have a very unpleasant aftertaste".

FUCHSIA JAM
600 g ripe fuchsia berries
200 g sugar
juice of half a lemon
2 tbs pectin (or use the old apple skin/cores in a bag trick)

[veggiechicken]

Mrs Popple tastes nice but there are never enough for jam. You can use them in fruit cake too instead of currants.

[chris]

I tried one of mine, didn't taste of much - just watery. No idea what type it is, but i'm saving the berrys for the seeds from now on anyway