Crowberries, also called mossberries, are found throughout Alaska on alpine muskegs and tundra, growing very low to the ground on a trailing evergreen plant. The leaves of this plant are very small and narrow, and tiny round berries can get up to ½ inch in diameter, with a rich, blue-black color. Look for crowberries to appear in late July, sometimes mixed in with blueberry bushes.
Ingredients
- 8 cups crowberries, washed and picked over for stems, twigs, and other debris
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
Step One: Extract berry juice
Combine eight cups crowberries and one cup water. Crush berries with potato masher or similar tool. Bring mixture just to a boil and simmer ten minutes, watching carefully. Strain cooked berries through a jelly bag (or several layers of cheesecloth, available in the canning section of most stores) and in a colander. Let the juice drip into a large bowl. For clear juice, do not twist or squeeze bag or cheesecloth.
Step Two: Make syrup
Combine bery juice, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat ingredients to 160o F but do not allow the mixture to boil. Serve right from the stove to top off pancakes, waffles, or ice cream, or store in a jar with tight-fitting lid for up to six months in the refrigerator.
For long term storage; fill sterilized jars with hot syrup leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims and add prepared two-piece lids. Process five minutes in boiling water bath.
