North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>]

I expect they are made from the sap. It's not a fruit product but I 
think somewhat relevant to the list.
See
<http://icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Alcoholic_Beverages_Made_from_Icelandic_Birch_0_381546.news.aspx> 


Before Norse settlement some 1150 years ago much of Iceland was treed 
and the main tree was birch. Sheep farming drastically reduced the tree 
cover to almost nothing, but in recent decades there have been 
significant efforts at reforestation. Native berries have long been 
popular and I am told that recently gardeners have started to plant 
apple trees, though spring weather can be rough.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada