Welcome to the Celtnet guide to wild foods. As this recipe site has grown it has become obvious that to allow people to replicate some of the more ancient recipes on this site (especially from the Ancient, Roman and Medieval periods it is necessary to list modern alternatives but also to produce a guide so that the curious can find the original (often wild) ingredients for themselves. These pages are an attempt at bringing all these potentially useful and often forgotten wild foods together into one place. To use this guide simply click on the first letter of your term above or below. Alternativey why not just browse through the terms. You may well find something that surprises you!

This page covers wild foods beginning with the letter 'U' and includes both common and scientific names.

This is the description page for Common Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Common Barberry.

Common Barberry, Berberis vulgaris, (also known as European barberry, Ambarbaris, Barbery, Holy Thorn, Jaundice berry, Pepperidge Bush, Sowberry) is a tall, herbaceous shrub of the Berberidaceae (Barberry) family that's native to central and southern Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia, but which has been naturalized in northern Europe and Britain so long it is often considered a native. It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4m high with small oval leaves 2–5 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, with a serrated margin that are borne in clusters of 2-5 together, subtended by a three-branched spine 3–8 mm long. The flowers are yellow, 4–6 mm across, produced on 3–6 cm long panicles in late spring. The fruit is an oblong red berry 7–10 mm long and 3–5 mm broad, ripening in late summer or autumn. The plant, except for its fruit and seeds, is mildly poisonous. Its most potent agent is berberine, which is also known to have a number of therapeutical effects. In Europe, the berries are traditionally used for making jam. In southwestern Asia, especially Iran, where they are called zereshk (زرشک), the berries are used for cooking, as well as for making jam. The name derives from the Berber word meaning 'shell', indeed, the palnt's name is related to that of the Barbary coast.

Typically, the common barberry is in leaf from March to November, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are insect-pollinated. The fruit are edible and noted for being rich in vitamin C and are typically used for pickling and making preserves. In Britain, recipes for using barberry fruit go back to Elizabethan times and they were commonly used in the Victorian period (see the recipes here). The dried young leaves can me made into a refreshing tea and the young leaves can be steamed and used in place of sorrel (but consume with caution).

The thorny nature of barberry means that it is commonly used as a dense hedge in gardens. The common garden cultivar, Berberis thunbergii has fruit most similar to common barberry, Berberis microphylla or Berberis heterophylla (Calafate) and Berberis darwinii (Michay) are two species found in Patagonia in Argentina and Chile (they are also common garden cultivars) and their edible purple fruit are used for jams and infusions. Zereshk (زرشک) is the Persian name for the dried fruit of Berberis vulgaris, which are widely cultivated in Iran. Zereshk is widely used in cooking, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. It is usually cooked with rice, called zereshk polo, and provides a nice meal with chicken.Zereshk jam, zereshk juice, and zereshk fruit rolls are also produced in Iran.

Barberry Juice
Dried Barberries
Dried Barberry Custard Crumble Pie
Dried Barberry Soup
Dried Barberry Ice Cream
Saffron Chicken with Barberry Rice
Dried Barberry Mead
Dried Barberry Wine
Barberry Jelly
Barberry Marmalade
Semolina Barberry Cake
Barberry Conserve
Barberry Tart
Barberry Water
Barberries Preserved in Bunches