Juiniper Berries

[Ric.ror]

Where can I buy these or even grow my own and what recipes use them

[Kim A]

You can buy them easily in most supermarkets. You'd have to grow yourself a juniper bush (or find a wild one growing somewhere), then pick and dry them yoursefl, otherwise. GReat (lightly crushed) in pork dishes, terrines, with beetroot, in braised red cabbage dishes, most commonly used in recipes from the Eastern European states and the Baltics. Very aromatic - used in the manufacture of gin. I love them.,

[nickmo]

Any venison, plus game - wild boar, hare, pigeon, woodcock etc - plus duck and goose go well. Some beef dishes use them too - stews and as a rub for a marinade. Check delicatessen stores and farm shops too for fresh berries, or pick for free if you find them in the wild while wandering round the hils...if you do see them growing, take some cuttings and propogate now. Bushes take about 3 years to mature and fruit.

Do not pick green berries by the way, only the blue, ripe ones. And as juniper is a diuretic - stimulates urine - avoid if any kidney problems, and they are not recommended for under 12's either.


And if you get stuck, 254 ideas here

[Ric.ror]

Excellent - thanks for that - but have now decided I would like to try to grow my own - any clues as to where i could buy one - no point in foraging I would never find anything useful

[nickmo]

Buy seeds online - just search Juniperus Communis as a phrase or off to your local good garden centre (not a DIY store one though - doubt they will have it) as, they are likely to have it either as an established bush or seeds as well. Juniper is a common plant - either for ground cover or upright growing.

You may want to read the info about it here as well: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Junipe rus+communis which has some good details in plain english. The Plants for a Future database covers several thousand plants and is a handy reference if you want to get into growing a specific type of plant /. tree etc. and there are seed suppliers on the adverts on the site for you to try as well.