Arbutus in syrup

Description

Arbutus is a red berry, 1–3 cm in diameter, with a rough red coloured surface. It matures after 12 months, in autumn, at the same time as the next flowering.

It’s edible; and once it turns red, the fruit is sweet, and tastes similar to a fig, peach and kousa dogwod.

Arbutus fruits have a high content of sugars (40%), and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, niacin, tocopherols, and organic acids that are precursors to omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (nearly 9%).

They are edible fresh, but more commonly found preserved in tins or dried, especially because the mature fruit tends to bruise very easily, making transportation difficult.

They are used mostly for jam, marmalades, yogurt and alcoholic beverages, such as the Portuguese medronho, a type of strong brandy.

Many regions of Albania prepare the traditional drink rakia from the arbtus fruit.

The flowers are pollinated by bees, and the resulting honey is bitter tasting but still considered a delicacy.

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567g tin.