Now you’re thinking…don’t chokecherry pits have toxins? Indigenous chokecherry recipes and processing methods don’t remove the pits at all. That’s process starts by cooking them whole with a bit of water until they fall apart and then straining out the pulp and pits with cheesecloth or a jelly bag. Most people make chokecherry jelly or wine with the fruits. We eat them right off the bush, but that said, my family’s used to tart wild foraged fruit. The unripe fruit are indeed astringent, but if harvested dead ripe chokecherries are absolutely delicious. The name “choke-cherry” doesn’t exactly sound mouthwatering, but don’t let it fool you.
I’ve also included a leaf to help with identification. A cluster of wild chokecherries on my hand.
