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What berry made sauce for the goose?

Killer Savings Offer:

By Chelsie Vandaveer

March 1, 2004

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Killer Savings: Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Gooseberry, Currant, Elderberry, & more—>Click here.

In 1597, John Gerard recognized "divers sorts of the Goose-berries; some greater, others lesse: some round, others long, and some of a red colour...." There are about 150 species of Ribes variously called gooseberries or currants. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere with a few species native to the Andes. The European gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa Linnaeus)
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Gooseberry, Tixia^TM (var. Rafzicta)

Thornless Picking!—From Switzerland, where gooseberries are treasured. Tixia bears big, bright red berries on thornless plants. Delicious in pies, jellies and juices.

Matures mid-July. Self pollinating. No. 1, 1-year plants. Zones: 3 - 7 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

is the most commonly known species.

Gerard considered gooseberries to be "cold and drie" and good for the treatment or cooling of fevers, "all inflammations", "Saint Anthonies fire", and "Erysipelas" and to "stench (stop) bleedings" including "the menses or monethly sickenes". But he believed that "howsoever they be eaten they alwaies ingender raw and cold bloud: they nourish nothing or very little...." Still he conceded that gooseberries "provoke (increase) appetite, and coole the vehement heate of the stomacke and liver."

Gerard mentioned "The fruit is used in divers sauces for meate, as those that are skilfull in cookerie can better tel than my selfe. They are used in broths...which maketh the broth not onely pleasant to the taste, but is greatly profitable to such as are troubled with a hot burning ague." (The Herbal or General Historie of Plants, 1633 edition)

Mrs. M. Grieve (A Modern Herbal, 1931, reprinted 1996) wrote on the use of the gooseberry sauces. The juice of the green berries "...is sub-acid and is corrective of putrescent foods, such as mackerel or goose." Since it is doubtful that the sauce corrected spoilage, its purpose apparently was to correct the taste of the tainted food. Perhaps in Gerard's time, if the gooseberries had not provoked the appetite, then the vehement heat of the stomach would not need cooling.

L'Institut des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, University of Lyon has a great closeup of the European gooseberry. To view the photograph, click on the link:

Click here to view the photograph

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

York Elderberry

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®

Intensely flavored fruit with a rich aroma. Bountiful harvest ripens in August. Tall shrub grows to 12-14 ft. and has attractive, snowy white flowers in the spring. Plant two Elderberries for proper pollination and top yields.

Carefree fruits are simply wonderful! Not only do they bear delicious, edible fruits, but the plants also fit beautifully into the home landscape. Pawpaws, for instance, bear tasty, banana-like fruit, and the trees are gorgeous when planted in full sun. Fig trees have a stately appearance and produce plump, luscious fruit that’s great for desserts. Currants, gooseberries and cranberries are ideal for smaller gardens. Some types, such as the mulberry, also provide valuable food for songbirds. Zone 3 to 9 Click here - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery! [More Small Fruits!] [All On Sale Today!]

Gooseberry, Pixwell

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

The Pie Makers' Favorite

Big green berries ripen to pale pink, for tempting pies and preserves.

Bears fruit the second year, yields 4-6 quarts a year at maturity. Easy-to-pick, withstands drought. Self pollinating. No. 1, 1-year plants.

Zones: 3 - 6 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

Comments: Fruit is soft, juicy, and high in sugar. Rich, pink flesh. Vigorous and productive. Practically thornless. Fruits hang in clusters on long slender stems one inch below the branches and small thorns. Mildew and drought resistant. Good choice as an edible ornament. 2 year old wood is most productive.

Gooseberry-Currant Collection

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

The perfect pair for preserves!

These fruits are native species that grow wild in various parts of the country. They are very adaptable and generally carefree., a few are delicious when eaten fresh. Others make excellent desserts and wines.

Save $4.15! The Currant-Gooseberry Collection includes one each of:

Pixwell Gooseberry: Big green berries ripen to pale pink, for tempting pies and preserves. Bears fruit the second year, yields 4-6 quarts a year at maturity. Easy to pick, withstands drought.

Red Lake Currant: The cold-hardiest of quality plum-red currants. Not much of a wait involved--often bears its full-flavored fruit the first year after planting, on 2-year-old wood. Reliably large yields.

Both are self pollinating, No. 1, 1-year plants. Zones: 3 - 7 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

Comments: Dark red fruit with sweet-tart flavor. Long stems for easy picking. Strong, vigorous bush with dense foliage. Early bearing. Produces fruit on two year and older wood. Long ripening period; holds well on branches. Most widely grown red currant. MULCH IN SUMMER. RED CURRANTS DO NOT PERFORM WELL ON HEAVY SOILS. SUSCEPTIBLE TO MILDEW AND DOES NOT HAVE MUCH TOLERANCE TO LATE SPRING FROST.

Currant, Ben Lomond

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Tasty Source of Vitamin C!

Extra-large, luscious fruit bursting with rich flavor and vitamin C.

Very compact plants grow to only 4-5 feet--just right for a backyard hedge! Disease resistant, easy to maintain. Self pollinating. No. 1 plants.

Zones: 3 - 6 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

Currant, Wilder

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Big Fruits, Big on Flavor

Twice the fruit size of other varieties! Sets up to 6 quarts of rich crimson currants each year. A reliable crop for northern growers.

Makes great-looking, great-tasting jams and jellies.

Self pollinating. No. 1 plants.

Zones: 3 - 7 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

Comments: Dark red fruit with sweet-tart flavor. Very good quality. Fruit is a bit smaller than Red Lake. Healthy, vigorous, tall-stemmed, heavy bearing bush. Blooms over a 3 week period. 2 year old wood is most productive.

Currant, Red Lake

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Jelly Makers Love It

The cold-hardiest of quality plum-red currants. Not much of a wait involved--often bears its full-flavored fruit the first year after planting, on 2-year-old wood. Reliably large yields.

Self pollinating. No. 1 plants.

Zones: 3 - 7 (-30° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Small Fruit & Berries!]

Comments: Dark red fruit with sweet-tart flavor. Long stems for easy picking. Strong, vigorous bush with dense foliage. Early bearing. Produces fruit on two year and older wood. Long ripening period; holds well on branches. Most widely grown red currant. MULCH IN SUMMER. RED CURRANTS DO NOT PERFORM WELL ON HEAVY SOILS. SUSCEPTIBLE TO MILDEW AND DOES NOT HAVE MUCH TOLERANCE TO LATE SPRING FROST.

Currant, Jonkheer

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®

Jonkheer Currant is excellent for pies, tarts and juice.

Wonderfully full-flavored fruit ripens in late June.

Bush plants. No. 1, 1-yr. plants.

Zone 3 to 6 Click here - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery!

[More Small Fruits!] [All On Sale Today!]

Carefree fruits are simply wonderful! Not only do they bear delicious, edible fruits, but the plants also fit beautifully into the home landscape. Pawpaws, for instance, bear tasty, banana-like fruit, and the trees are gorgeous when planted in full sun. Fig trees have a stately appearance and produce plump, luscious fruit that’s great for desserts. Currants, gooseberries and cranberries are ideal for smaller gardens. Some types, such as the mulberry, also provide valuable food for songbirds.