First time I tried these. Hell, first time I recall seein' 'em at all! Came out decent. Addin' them ta my list a wild foodstuffs.
Where I Found 'Em
Friday night, I camped down in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico, USA, near Wall Lake. Drivin' in and out, noticed these plump, pretty juniper berries growin' up on the ridge.
BTW, the Gila Wilderness was where Geronimo was from. He was a Chiricauhua Apache. Them and the Warm Springs Apache lived there back when.
Wasn't sure if these berries was edible, or how ta eat 'em. But I knew some juniper is. I've had beef and mutton seasoned with dried juniper berries before, but what species? Don't know.
I went ahead and picked a hatful anyway. With the photo at top, figured I could identify the juniper and learn more once I got back somewhere with internet. (There is ZERO cell signal in the Gila Wilderness.)
How They Was Et Back When
Well, as the title says, these is Utah junipers (Juniperus osteosperma). They's found in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and a bit further out.
Only thing I could find out in terms a eatin' was that the Apache boiled the berries whole and ate 'em like that. Probably just how ol' Geronimo's mama made 'em.
Somewhere I read that they sometimes they mashed afterward and dried 'em for later, too.
Another BTW – the berries ain't berries. They's female cones, per the scientists. Whatever. They's berries in the kitchen.
What They Tasted Like
What the interweb sources didn't tell me was anythin' more than what I already said. They didn't say when the Apache picked 'em, what ta look for in ripeness, whether ta boil 'em plain or for how long, nothin'.
So I winged it. Yesterday, I made some pinto beans with onion and smoked pig tail. Threw in maybe ¼ cup a the Utah juniper berries.
Inside each one is 2-3 seeds. Ya gotta mash the berry careful in your mouth and work out the seeds. Ya could crack a tooth if ya bite down hard!
In texture, look, and taste, the boiled berries remind me of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). They're not sweet.
There's a bitter, piney, turpentiney aftertaste to 'em. It ain't strong, but it's distinct and a bit offputtin'.
Would some difference in preparation or when they're picked help? Or is it somethin' ya get used to, even learn ta like, just like the bitterness of hops in beer? Don't know.
I might try some vinegar, sugar, or baking soda next time and see if that cuts out the aftertaste.
Overall, they're a decent wild food. Worth tryin'. Maybe excellent when prepped right. And no digestive discomfort last night.