Serviceberries (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

Amelanchiers are purplish-black berries with many names: serviceberry, June berry, saskatoon berry, shadbush, are just a few. Their bright white flowers are among the first to bloom in spring and provide nectar for bees and other insects. The berries ripen in late June or early July in our region. I bought mine from Rulfs Orchard at the July 5 Farmers’ Market in Saranac Lake, but they do grow wild in our region. The sweet fruit has a unique flavor, hard to compare to other berries; it is earthy, a little like grapes with a hint of almond.

Serviceberries are a native plant, a gift from the earth and great for the environment. Robin Wall Kimmerer explains in her new book, The Serviceberry, how the berries are networked aboveground with bees and other pollinators who enjoy their early nectar, birds devour the fruit and help plant new trees and webs of below-ground microbial communities that exchange resources. Quoting ecological economist Dr. Valerie Luzadis, she writes: “serviceberry provides a model of interdependence and coevolution.” “The serviceberries show us a world based on reciprocity rather than accumulation.”

There are many species of the Amelanchier genus. Some are shrubs or bushes; others are trees. Their size can vary from multi-stemmed shrubs less than a foot in height to 65-foot-tall trees. All like full sun to partial shade and well-drained, moderately fertile soil. They tolerate a wide range of soil textures and acidity. They need a couple of years to get established, where they don’t compete with weeds or other plants. The flowers are frost-hardy and self-pollinating.

Species native to our Adirondack region include Amelanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry or Common Serviceberry), Amelanchier canadensis var. canadensis (Coastal Serviceberry or Canadian Serviceberry), Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry) and Amelanchier spicata (Running Serviceberry or Dwarf Serviceberry). A western species, Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon Serviceberry), does well in Adirondack gardens because it tolerates a wide range of conditions and thrives in poor soils.

Like blueberries and other berries, serviceberries are a nutritious superfood loaded with antioxidants. They have twice the potassium of blueberries and more vitamin C, fiber, iron and protein. Their content of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin A and vitamin E is about equal to blueberries. They’re about 80 percent water and 18% fructose.

They’re great eaten as is, or with yogurt, ice cream, breakfast cereal or pancakes. Use them in smoothies, jams and jellies. Add them to salads. Bake cobblers, crisps, pies or muffins with them. Native Americans used them in pemmican. They’re just delicious!

To freeze for winter use, place them in a single layer on cookie sheets and transfer frozen berries to containers or freezer bags. They can also be soaked in a sugar solution and then dehydrated.

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Serviceberry Oatmeal Muffins

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Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup plain yogurt

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups serviceberries

1/4 teaspoon salt

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, beat together eggs, maple syrup and melted or softened butter. Stir in yogurt, then oats. In a smaller bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda; fold into the batter along with the berries.

Butter the muffin pans well, or line with paper muffin liners. Fill 2/3 full. Place in oven and lower heat to 375 degrees F. Bake for about 20 minutes, till the tops are golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.

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Serviceberry Syrup

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Ingredients:

2 cups serviceberries

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1/2 lemon

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Directions:

Divide berries in half; reserve 1 cup.

Place 1 cup berries, maple syrup and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower heat to simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes.

While berries are cooking, zest and juice the lemon.

Remove syrup from heat; stir in zest, juice and reserved berries. Serve warm over pancakes. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Makes about 2 cups. Serves four.

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Berry Banana Smoothie

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Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt (plain, vanilla or blueberry)

2 cups serviceberries

1 banana

1/3 cup crushed ice

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Directions:

Place yogurt, berries and chunks of banana in the blender. Blend until frothy. Add ice and blend for a few more seconds.

Makes about 2 cups.

Note: You can make this smoothie with any berries.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on Twitter: @yvonawrites.