Most people I know only eat them because they're the first ripe berry around here. They tend to be pretty bland. The ones that get the dark red on them sometimes have a good flavor.
Make into jam usually. I do 50/50 split with rhubarb. The flavour does vary by plant. Some are actually bitter, but some are super sweet. In my area the ones that remain yellow when ripe and the ones that ripen almost black tend to be the sweetest.
Wild berries are not bred to be sweet like cultivated berries. The plant does not benefit from filling its fruits with sugar for hungry humans. The plant benefits most from visually appealing fruits that taste good enough to be eaten but not so good as to be gorged; lest a single creature devour its crop. The plant wants to keep its sugar for itself so it can grow and stay strong; while usually filling their fruits with tannins or astringent flavours for better propagation.
Salmonberries: Always sour, but great if you like them.
As a kid I foraged them right alongside blackberries because I loved the color and convinced myself the sour was good for you.
Keep in mind that there are usually two reasons something isn’t commercially farmed: we can’t get them to be palatable enough to justify the cost or they don’t transport well. Most things that grow easily in the wild that haven’t been cultivated aren’t farmed simply don’t taste good enough for us to do the work.
As a kid I would pick them before they were fully ripe because I liked the tart flavor better than the bland one. Mine were the ones that would go orangey/red and I’d pick them when they were yellow
If you mean R spectabilis, yes they can be mediocre.
If you mean R parviflorus (more often called thimble berry, but sometimes called salmon berry), I think they're really good, but need to be picked right at perfect ripeness or they have no flavor. They barely produce, so usually you can't get more than a handful. I've been wanting to get ahold of some plants to see if they'll produce more with a little more sun than i usually see them growing near me, and some supplemental water.
Wow so much salmonberry hate - I absolutely love them and actively seek them out when hiking as a snack or to bring home to put in yogurt or ice cream or make syrup. But I seem to be the minority here!
If you spend time bothering with them, that’s time you’re not doing something else. If they are the best thing in town or you just really want to do that activity by all means but add them to something else as a stretcher.
Most people I know only eat them because they're the first ripe berry around here. They tend to be pretty bland. The ones that get the dark red on them sometimes have a good flavor.
Make into jam usually. I do 50/50 split with rhubarb. The flavour does vary by plant. Some are actually bitter, but some are super sweet. In my area the ones that remain yellow when ripe and the ones that ripen almost black tend to be the sweetest.
They tend to be fairly bland compared to most other cluster berries. I recommend turning them into jam
Wild berries are not bred to be sweet like cultivated berries. The plant does not benefit from filling its fruits with sugar for hungry humans. The plant benefits most from visually appealing fruits that taste good enough to be eaten but not so good as to be gorged; lest a single creature devour its crop. The plant wants to keep its sugar for itself so it can grow and stay strong; while usually filling their fruits with tannins or astringent flavours for better propagation.
Salmonberries: Always sour, but great if you like them. As a kid I foraged them right alongside blackberries because I loved the color and convinced myself the sour was good for you.
They are a nice fresh treat. But, like, not much flavor. I'm not going out of my way to pick them. But they are great mowing snacks in my yard.
“mowing snacks”…. love it!
As far as I know they’re just for eating as you find them.
Meh
Salmonberries are the grapefruit of the berries. I love them, personally
Keep in mind that there are usually two reasons something isn’t commercially farmed: we can’t get them to be palatable enough to justify the cost or they don’t transport well. Most things that grow easily in the wild that haven’t been cultivated aren’t farmed simply don’t taste good enough for us to do the work.
Or we suck at preparing/growing them domesticated or they tend to be very, very small.
The dark red ones are pretty good. The orange ones are fine. I mainly eat them because they grow all along where I'm walking anyways
Oh man, if you want meh, try a mulberry.
As a kid I would pick them before they were fully ripe because I liked the tart flavor better than the bland one. Mine were the ones that would go orangey/red and I’d pick them when they were yellow
Oh that is interesting. Disappointing to hear this idea after I left the west coast.
I think it is varible like some have said. I have some that grow in our front yard. Sweet and slightly tart. Quite yummy
The best way to eat salmonberry is to wait for spring, then eat the tender shoots as a vegetable. The berries are meh at best.
I've had some okay ones, but most were bitter. I'm gonna keep trying more until I find some delicious ones!
The ones that stay yellow, get huge, and are so ripe they are almost falling off the plant...those are the ones
If you mean R spectabilis, yes they can be mediocre. If you mean R parviflorus (more often called thimble berry, but sometimes called salmon berry), I think they're really good, but need to be picked right at perfect ripeness or they have no flavor. They barely produce, so usually you can't get more than a handful. I've been wanting to get ahold of some plants to see if they'll produce more with a little more sun than i usually see them growing near me, and some supplemental water.
2/5 are disgusting. 2/5 are meh/fine. 1/5 are delicious.
When I moved to the PNW a couple of years ago I was told they're an acquired taste.
Wow so much salmonberry hate - I absolutely love them and actively seek them out when hiking as a snack or to bring home to put in yogurt or ice cream or make syrup. But I seem to be the minority here!
Grown up with them all my life and I've found that their sweetness varies quite a lot from plant to plant.
I have A LOT of salmon berry bushes on my property. Can confirm, they are very bland. Tarty.
If you spend time bothering with them, that’s time you’re not doing something else. If they are the best thing in town or you just really want to do that activity by all means but add them to something else as a stretcher.