I've grown improved selections of E. umbellulata, from Hidden Springs
nursery, and I think the fruit is pretty good; I discovered that by
stripping the fruit as rapidly as possible, no worrying about leaves and
sticks, and then passing it through a Foley food mill created a wonderful
base for a merengue pie. (Bring it to a boil with a tiny bit of water in a
covered pot first)
Coppicing is a good way to do a renewal on an over-mature plant too; I
discovered that when the landlord's tractor squashed one bush. There's
firewood, even carving wood potential in the bigger pieces of trunk. Here in
Oregon, deer can ravage a young shrub though, and I'm sure coppice re-growth
would be similarly affected.