California Gourmet: Cooking with Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia)

Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia) - ripe ruits

It’s been quite a productive year for Lemonadeberries in our part of Southern California.  Plants bloomed early and fruits are now dark red and dripping with sticky, sour goodness.  It’s time for some suggestions on using these quintessential California fruits.  To learn more about the plant itself we suggest our December, 2014 posting: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/12/plant-of-month-december-lemonadeberry.html

Lemonadeberry flavor is hard to describe.  Certainly it’s very tart/sour, with a hint of lemons (citric acid).  But the flavor is distinctive, perhaps because of the unique blend of citric acid, other acids (likely malic and ascorbic acids) and other plant compounds.  You just have to taste it to know it.  

Collecting the fruit

 

First a note on picking.  Fruits are ripe when they are  dark orange-red to dark red and dripping.  Put one in your mouth – ripe fruits have a strong sweet-tart taste. 

 

 

Picking Lemonadeberry fruits - CSU Dominguez Hills

 

The fruits are very sticky.  We suggest wearing old clothes and a pair of thin latex gloves; even so, you’re bound to get a little sticky.  The ripe fruits should come off  easily when you pull them; collect into a plastic bag (best because you can close it up) or non-metal bowl or container.   Some people cut off entire fruiting clusters,  removing the fruits in the comfort of their kitchen.  But these fruits are so easy to pick that we just pull them off in the garden.

If you plan to use your fruit to make jelly, syrup or any other recipe that requires heat, you may want to choose fruits that are more orange-red than red.  These fruits, which are slightly less ripe, are more tart and flavorful in cooked recipes.

Try to pick fruits that are relatively clean.  Harvest away from major roadways and choose fruits that are free of dust if possible.  As always, collecting fruit from your own bushes is safest; you know they haven’t been sprayed with something noxious.

 

Processing the fruit

Unlike most fruits, the flavored part of the Lemonadeberry fruit is the sticky coating.  Do not wash the fruits or you’ll wash away the flavoring.  Pick out any leaves or twigs – that’s all the processing that’s required.

Preparing the ‘juice’

Many Lemonadeberry recipes begin with Lemonadeberry ‘juice’ (really water flavored with the fruit secretions).  This is simplicity itself to prepare.   Place unwashed fruits into a non-reactive container (glass or pyrex is best). Be sure to leave a little extra room, as fruits will swell slightly.   Just cover the fruits with cool water and let the mixture sit for 2-4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator).  Stir or swirl the mixture occasionally so the sticky secretions dissolve.

 

At the end of soaking, fruits should appear slightly swollen and pale.  Remove as many fruits as possible with a slotted spoon (use the fruits in the compost).  Pour the liquid through a sieve to remove the remaining fruits and other particles. We like to use a medium-mesh sieve to remove the larger stuff, then a fine meshed sieve for a final straining.  If there are lots of small particles, consider lining the fine sieve with several layers of cheesecloth before straining. 

 

 

 

You now have Lemonadeberry juice, which can be used in several ways (see recipes, below). The juice can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for later use.

Drying Lemonadeberry fruits

The fruits of other Rhus species are dried and used as a seasoning in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes.  You can easily dry Lemonadeberry fruits for use on salads or in yoghurt, marinades, dips, hummus or other traditional recipes featuring sumac.
 

You can air-dry Lemonadeberry fruits if the weather is hot and dry; or speed the process in a food dryer or warm oven.  Either way, the process will take several days to complete, so be patient.  We like to spread the fruits on a clean piece of screen on a baking rack to insure good air circulation (see photo above). If air-drying, cover with another piece if screen.  We dry our fruits in a warm oven over 3-4 days.  We heat the oven to ‘warm’ (less than 150°F or 65°C) several times a day, letting the fruits dry slowly.
 

Fruits are dry when they look slightly darker and are slightly decreased in size.  The differences between dry and fresh berries are subtle; cut one in half to check for dryness.    Store dry fruits whole in a glass jar with a tight lid; or grind them in a spice mill, then store the dried seasoning in an airtight glass jar. 

 

 

Recipes Using Lemonadeberry Juice

Lemonadeberry ‘Lemonade’ (Rhus-ade)

Pour cool Lemonadeberry juice in a glass.  Add sugar or honey to taste.   Stir and enjoy!

 

Lemonadeberry Syrup

1 cup prepared juice 1-2 cups sugar (1 cup makes a thin syrup for flavored beverages; 1 ½ cups makes a medium syrup for ice cream topping, desserts; 2 cups makes a thick syrup for pancakes, etc.) 1 drop red food coloring (optional)   Place sugar, food coloring (optional) and juice in a heavy saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat until mixture almost boils.  Turn down heat and simmer 5 additional minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let cool.  Store in a closed jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Or process with a boiling water bath (as for jelly) to store for several years at room temperature.   You can make this syrup in any amount needed – just use 1 cup sugar (or other as desired) per cup of juice.     This syrup makes a refreshing sweet-tart summer drink when used to flavor sparkling water.  You can also use it in punch, over ice cream, sliced fruits or cake, etc.  This is an adult flavor – young children may find it too ‘sour’.

 

Lemonadeberry Jelly

3 cups prepared juice 1 package Sure-jell dry pectin 4-5 cups sugar (we use 4 ½); measure out ahead of time 1 drop red food coloring (optional)    Place the juice and pectin in a large, heavy pot (6 quart/liter or larger).  Bring to full rolling boil, stirring often.   Add the sugar all at once and stir in quickly; if using food coloring, add it now.   Bring again to full rolling boil.   Boil 1 minute.  Fill prepared canning jars.   Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes if canning at less than 1000 feet elevation (*Add 1 additional minute for each additional 1000 feet of altitude).    Remove jars from water bath.  Let cool; check to be sure that lids have sealed.                 Makes about five to six   8-oz jars.     A sweet-tart favorite that’s great on toast and English muffins!

*More on canning at high altitudes:

http://www.freshpreserving.com/tools/altitude-adjusting

http://foodinjars.com/2012/02/canning-101-on-adjusting-for-altitude/

 

 

   

Lemonadeberry Jell Candy

1 cup prepared juice, sweetened to taste 2 envelopes (1/4 oz Knox packets) unflavored gelatin Heat juice to 150° F. (warm).  Place juice in a non-metal bowl.  Gradually whisk in the gelatin, making sure that it completely dissolves (no lumps).  Pour mixture into a lightly oiled 8x8 inch pan (or prepared candy molds).  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or until set).   Cut/un-mold and serve.   This recipe inspired by: http://www.eattheweeds.com/sumac-more-than-just-native-lemonade/

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We welcome your comments, below.  If you have questions, please e- mail us at: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

Duskywing Butterflies – the genus Erynnis

Funereal Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis funeralis ) in Mother Nature's Backyard

Despite the drought, it’s shaping up as a good year for butterflies in local gardens.  This may be due in part to difficult conditions in the wilds; many larval food plants (and water) are unavailable.  We’ve spoken before about the importance of native plant gardens when times get tough: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/11/maintaining-your-new-california-garden_15.html

In Mother Nature’s Backyard, we’ve already seen a first wave of the smaller butterflies known collectively as ‘Skippers’ (family Hesperiidae).  The Skippers are somewhat different in appearance and separated from other common butterflies in terms of their evolution.  While many local Skippers are yellow-orange and black (or white and black), one group is notable for its dark color and medium size.  These are the Duskywing butterflies, grouped in the genus Erynnis.  If you’ve seen a very dark 1 ½ inch (4 cm) butterfly flitting through your garden it’s likely a Duskywing.

The Duskywings are classified as spread-wing Skippers, a group that’s typically dark brown in color. Its members hold both sets of wings open when perching, while other Skippers perch with wings closed.  The genus Erynnis contains a number of species, 17 of which are native to N. America.   Duskywing species are quite similar in appearance, making them very difficult to tell apart, even from a good photograph.   The most accurate way to determine the species is by examining differences in their sexual organs under the microscope.

Six Duskywing species are known to inhabit Los Angeles County (see below); most are found only in the wilds, where their larval food plants are common.   Of the six, the Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) is by far the most likely to visit local gardens; another possible candidate is the Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis) and possibly the Afranius Duskywing (Erynnis afranius).

 

Name	Distinguishing characteristics	Adult food	Larval food
Afranius Duskywing  Erynnis afranius	Hindwing fringe pale tips Upper side medium brown Upper wing white spotted Males perch in swales, gullies; wild lands	Flower nectar	Legumes including: deervetch (Acmispon glaber/Lotus scoparius), Lupine (Lupinus spp), Milkvetch (Astragalus spp), Spanish Clover (Lotus purshianus), Thermopsis
Sleepy Duskywing Erynnis brizo	Upper forewing black-brown; blue-brown spots. Hindwing brown with lighter brown spots Oak-pine, forest edges	Flower nectar: blueberry, dandelion,  violets, strawberries	Native Quercus including: Quercus dumosa ;  other Quercus spp.
Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis	Forewing narrow, pointed Upper side dark brown-gray White fringe, hind wing Local gardens	Flower nectar: California buckwheat; Black sage; Stachys spp.	Legumes including: Acmispon glaber/Lotus scoparius, Medicago species, Olneya tesota. alfalfa and vetch (Vicia)
'Californian' Pacuvius Duskywing, Erynnis pacuvius callidus	Milky white spots, upper wing of males Hooked antennae	Flower nectar	Ceanothus species
Western Oak Duskywing, Erynnis propertius	Larger size Brown hindwing fringe Hilltopping; puddling Wild lands (foothills)	Flower nectar	Native Quercus including: Quercus agrifolia
Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristis	White fringe, hindwing   Mostly wild lands	Flower nectar: mints, Salvia spp., lavenders, Verbena, garden flowers	Quercus including: Quercus agrifolia, Q. lobata,  Q. douglasii, non-native oaks

 

The species range for local Duskywings is largely limited by their larval food plants.   Three of the six require native oaks (Quercus species) for breeding, including the Mournful Duskywing.  If you live in an area with oaks, Mournfuls may visit your garden.   The Pacuvious Duskywing requires Ceanothus species – in greater abundance than found in most gardens.  The Afranius and Funereal Duskywings utilize a number of native and non-native legume species, making them the best candidates as garden visitors.

Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) in flight

Funereal Duskywings are difficult to photograph.  They are rapid, erratic flyers, moving from flower to flower surprisingly quickly.  We’ve had our best luck capturing them nectaring on Black Sage (Salvia mellifera).  Be patient and use a telephoto lens; they sometimes rest with wings outstretched (cool days) or closed (in hot sun). 

The Funereal Duskywing is a small-medium butterfly 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inches (3.4 - 4.5 cm) wide.   It ranges from Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas south to Argentina and Chile, although it sometimes strays further north.   Several characteristics differentiate it from other local Duskywings: 1) its forewing is narrow and pointed, while its hindwing is triangular; 2) the hindwings have a distinctive white fringe, visible on both the upper and lower sides of the wing (clearly visible whether the wings are open or closed – even in flight).  Only one other local Duskywing – the Mournful – has white wing fringes.

 

Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) - front (upper) side

While the overall color of Erynnis funeralis is dark brown, the coloration is more complex and varied than you might expect.  As seen above, the front side of the forewing is marked with subtle blotches of gray and lighter brown. The patterns on the forewing extend almost to the edge of the wing and there is a larger, pale splotch (in ours a ring) near the top.  The hindwing has a overall coppery cast, in addition to the distinctive white fringe.

 

Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis) - back side

While the adults utilize a range of flowers, they seem particularly fond of Black sage (Salvia mellifera) in our gardens; we’ve also seen them nectaring on the Woodmints (Stachys species) and other plants in the Mint family.  Adults are known to ‘puddle’ (sip moisture and minerals from mud or moist sand), although we’ve not observed this (our garden is likely too dry).

Funereal Duskywings have three broods a year, during warm weather from March to December.  In our area they typically fly from February or early March to early May (first generation),  mid-May to late June or July (second generation) and late summer to October or November (third generation).  We often see an uptick in numbers in March and again in June/July.   

The single, yellow eggs are deposited on the leaves of the host plant.  Host plants are a range of legumes (family Fabaceae) including Deervetch (Acmispon glaber/Lotus scoparius), Medicago species (alfalfa; Bur-clovers), Olneya tesota (Desert ironwood) and vetch (Vicia species)  Larvae are pale, translucent green with faint lines and a dark gray head.  Caterpillars eat the leaves and form simple shelters of rolled leaves.   It takes about 35 days to progress from egg to adult.

For more pictures and information on Funereal Duskywings see:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-funeralis

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/hesper/funereal.htm

http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/erynnis_funeralis.htm

http://leps.thenalls.net/content2.php?ref=Species/Pyrginae/funeralis/life/funeralis_life.htm

 

If you live near oak trees, you may also see the Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis).   This is our second ‘white fringed’ species; it can be distinguished from Erynnis funeralis by a row of long white spots near the margin of the underside of the hindwing.  This species flies at the same time as the Funereal Duskywing, with three broods a year.  It nectars on a wide range of native and non-native plants including Verbenas, Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon species), California Buckeye (Aesculus californica), native buckwheats (Eriogonum species), Milkweeds and other garden flowers, especially the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii).  Larval foods include Coast liveoak (Quercus agrifolia) and other native and non-native oaks. 

For more on the Mournful Duskywing see:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-tristis  

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/hesper/mourn.htm  

 

The Afranius Duskywing (Erynnis afranius) is slightly smaller than Erynnis funeralis and has pale-tipped wing fringes, rather than white.  Like the Funeral Duskywing, its larvae require legumes, including Deervetch (Acmispon glaber/Lotus scoparius), Lupines (Lupinus species), Spanish Clover (Lotus purshianus), the Goldbanners (Thermopsis species) and Milkvetch (Astragalus species).   We have not found records of this species in gardens, however its range, habitat and food requirements suggest it may do so.

For more on Afranius Duskywing see:

http://socalbutterflies.com/hesperiidae_html/brizo.htm

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-afranius

http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/erynnis_afranius.htm

For pictures and information on the 'Californian' Pacuvius Duskywing (Erynnis pacuvius callidus) see:

http://socalbutterflies.com/hesperiidae_html/pacuvius.htm

http://butterfliesofamerica.com/erynnis_pacuvius_callidus.htm

 

For pictures and information on the Western Oak Duskywing (Erynnis propertius) see:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-propertius

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/hesper/propertius.htm

http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/L/erynnis_propertius.htm

 

 

We encourage your comments below.   If you have questions about Duskywing butterflies or other gardening topics you can e-mail us at :  mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com