Juniper: A Native Spice on a Tree Close to You

How usually does one consider juniper as a domestically grown, seasonal spice—recent and blue, and sweetly resinous? And the way usually do most individuals use juniper within the kitchen, anyway? Juniperus virginiana, native to a lot of the US and components of Canada, modified the way in which I take into consideration juniper, and its recent taste introduced a brand new dimension to my cooking life, the place I deploy it most within the chilly months, however get pleasure from utilizing it year-round. If you come across a tree, pop a few the berries (extra about that nomenclature, later) and provides them a delicate chew. They’re a bit of sugary, very brilliant, a contact pine-y, and rather a lot gin-y (assume Gordon’s or Bombay Sapphire). They’re good.

Recent juniper’s very important and aromatic style is incomparably higher than the drier, dustier model we purchase in a retailer.

Pictures by Marie Viljoen.

The juniper in query is usually referred to as jap pink cedar. The timber are sometimes utilized in metropolis landscaping due to their tolerance of horticultural neglect, however in addition they get pleasure from a large pure distribution, just about from Nova Scotia to Florida, with a deep sortie into the hinterland. They’re exceptionally cold-hardy, from USDA rising zones 2 by way of 9. Water-wise and drought-tolerant, they require full solar (six hours-plus) and wonderful drainage. If you happen to’re planting for fruit, you’d want a feminine tree, and hope {that a} male lives inside pollen-shedding vary.

Regardless of that frequent identify, these timber should not cedars, botanically talking (these could be Cedrus, belonging to the Pinacea household—pines). Junipers are the genus Juniperus, within the Cupressaceae household, which—watch for it—is named the cyprus household. It’s value being conscious of this semantic murk so that you simply head for the right tree, in print, on-line, or at a nursery.

So, sure: Juniper berries (which aren’t berries) come from a tree known as cedar!

Once they flip blue (generally coated in a white bloom), juniper “berries” are able to eat. They style like intense juniper sweet (birds agree and are the tree’s essential dispersal brokers). Male juniper timber produce tiny, golden seed cones that launch clouds of pollen in late winter (it’s a flavorful ingredient in its personal proper—and sure, it’s a significant sinus irritant).

By no means be tempted to eat a handful of juniper at a time (though, why would you?); it’s meant for use in small doses, like most spices, or it may be poisonous. The fruit and foliage (which may be very fragrant, too) have a protracted historical past of use in Native American drugs.

There are sufficient juniper species to cowl the nation, although every varies in taste: Juniperus communis—frequent juniper—has a really broad vary (and consists of Eurasia), however a few of its populations Stateside are threatened and even endangered. J. californica and J. occidentalis happen on the West Coast, and the Southwest hosts a slew of junipers in its well-known piñon-juniper biome (and likewise also known as cedar or cedar berries), together with J. osteosperma, J. grandis, J. monosperma. The Rockies? J. scopulorum.

There’s a native juniper for everyone.

Warning: J. sabina (referred to as savin juniper) is reported to be poisonous and an abortifacient. I’ve tasted it, and the flavour is horrible—not one thing I might willingly eat. It’s an launched juniper and is bought within the nursery commerce, for its low-growing,  sprawling behavior. I feel it’s possible that any juniper munched by the cupful will make you sick. Most research I’ve learn that ship a poisonous verdict embody subjecting unlucky laboratory animals to very excessive concentrations of the plant, or analyze what occurred to searching animals after they ingested a fantastic deal. These should not quantities people would ever devour usually.

I exploit juniper in some predictable methods: In slow-cooked, wintery dishes like borscht and braised pink cabbage, in Nordic meatball sauces, and in dishes that includes duck. However it’s a surprisingly versatile spice: