North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Richard Moyer" <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Larry Cook wrote:

I'm interested in your opinons of the fruit of Cornus mas: taste and method of use for food.

Larry,

We have been watching our honeybees enjoy our Cornus mas trees blooming now.

 

Lee Reich would suggest you check his book out of the library, I suggest you buy it:  Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden.  First version was Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention.  

There is a chapter on Cornus mas in both, with valuable info on your question and much more.  Lee's books helped me know when to eat these and more; some folks I know tried some fruits such as Che or Cornus mas unripe and swore them off until I convinced them to give another chance once properly ripened.

 

Cornus mas, for us, is best when picked up freshly fallen off the ground or gently shaken off the tree on a cloth, then brought inside and held at room temp for two days.  During this time, sugars come up and acids and other unpleasant flavors diminish.  Though some of my kids prefer them fresh, my daughter and I prefer the jam.  We also make a Thanksgiving relish with them, similar to cranberry relish.

 

They have a large single seed, so we run them through a food mill after a freeze thaw cycle.  Then we use Pomona's Pectin, to make a low sugar freezer jam.  Cooking the fruit any longer than necessary alters the fruit in an unpleasant way, to our taste.

 

Another plug for NAFEX members: Hidden Springs Nursery in Cookeville, TN grows and sells several Cornus mas selections.  They also have info on fruit use.

 

Be aware that it can take years for them to bloom, and years longer for them to bear, if you do not start with a grafted tree.  Lee's book explains the background.

 

But for Feb-early March bloom and a unique fruit, hard to beat. 

In the landscape, works well as an ornamental with late winter bloom, loads of summer dark red fruit, and late fall winter bark exfoliating.  Fall color nothing of note.

 

Ask if more Qs.

Richard Moyer

Zone 6 East TN.  Early pears blooming.