Wild service berry

Torminalis glaberrima

fruit

Small brown berries, acrid on the tree, that become bletted and sweet like dates; a brandy is also made from them.

Origin

Temperate Europe

Where to find it

The fallen fruits are gathered at the foot of wild service trees, scattered through oak and beech woods; in Austria and Bohemia, people still eat them bletted.

Season (United States)

October to November

Preparation

Fully bletted, they are eaten raw, spitting out the seeds; the skin is left.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Pectins · Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

In Alsace, wild service brandy is one of the rarest and most expensive.