The Four Seasons of Our Three Streets Preserves
Oct 23rd, 2012 by Not Far From The Tree
This wonderful post was written by Voula Halliday, chef, writer, artist and co-leader of Slow Food Toronto. If you have a story to share about your fruit picking and eating adventures, by all means send it along to info@notfarfromthetree.org.
I’m walking Cleo, our tiny Boston Terrier, through the neighbourhood and feeling sentimental. The leaves have changed colours, and many have fallen into dry pools that make crunchy cracker sounds under our feet. I feel affection for my surroundings when one season shimmies out of the way for the next.
I take comfort knowing that the vivid shades of glossy green leaves and plants from last spring have completed a resplendent cycle of life. And I’m smug about it, because my daughter and I made the most of what nature offered this past summer.
Photo Courtesy of Ash Nayler
Our own serviceberry tree is still young, and while it did give us berries, there were not enough (once the birds got their share) for us to preserve. So, after a walk on Boulton, Degrassi, and Clark streets we decided to ask our neighbours if we could pick and preserve the berries from their trees along with our own.
Our Three Street Serviceberry Preserves were made from the fruit of three trees, picked from three different streets. This neighbourhood ambrosia is stored in pantries on Boulton, Degrassi and Clark. Sometime this winter, just as soon as the craving hits, three households will savour the bounty of a season past, while looking out on the landscape of an icy winter morning.
Thank you for sharing my story with everyone.
The lovely photo of the freshly picked berries is by photographer Ash Nayler (www.ashnayler.com).