Currants

 Currants are very common and widespread throughout all of British Columbia. While all are considered edible, some are definitely tastier than others, and some (such as wax currant and sticky currant) are considered emetic in large quantities and best avoided if possible.

Currants are high in pectin and so make excellent jams and jellies that are delicious with meat, fish, bannock, fry-bread, scones.

Historically, currants were used to flavour liquors or fermented to make wine, but the raw currents generally tend to be very tart.

Wax Currents have been described as being tasteless, dry and seedy, even bitter.

Golden Currents are one of the flavourful and pleasant tasting currants. Some species such as stink currant have a skunky smell and flavour when raw but are delicious cooked.

Sticky Currant berries reportedly, were once highly valued by Haida and other of the extinct North West Aboriginal tribes, who collected large quantities to eat fresh with grease or oil (some say to prevent constipation or stomach cramps)

Wax Currants, it is claimed, were once used as a strengthening tonic and to treat diarrhoea.

Black Current seeds contain gamma linoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been used in the treatment of migraine headaches, diabetes, alcoholism, and eczema.

Some people believe that black current juice has a calming effect on hyper-active children. And in Europe, currant juice is taken as a natural remedy for ARTHRITIS

Northern Red Currant (Ribes triste) is, a low sprawling bush, often found in mossy woods and boggy places. The leaves are light green above, somewhat pale white and woolly underneath the flowers are brownish to purplish. The berries are bright red and sour, but good to eat. They are usually made into juice jelly or pudding.

Flowering Red Currant is commonly sold in garden centres in British Columbia as a decorative shrub. with flowers ranging from pure white to dark red.

Northern Black Currant (Ribes hudsonianum) berries are black, and the flowers are white; they grow on a bush 1-3 feet high, in moist woods along streams. The raw berry is a little bitter; the flavour is improved when it is diluted with water and made into juice or jelly. After the juice is strained, the remaining pulp can be used to make jam.    

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.