Goldenberry Uses Around The World

In most countries where goldenberries are grown, they are considered fruits only for backyard gardens or for children to pluck and eat, in Europe, however, goldenberries carry prestige and are of particular interest among up-scale restaurants and bakeries.

We invite you to take a quick tour around the world exploring the common culinary and non-culinary uses of this versatile fruit.

NORTH AMERICA 

The exquisite flavor of Goldenberries makes them an excellent jam fruit, here in north America goldenberries are usually canned as whole fruits or conserved in the form of jam, they are mostly known as preserves under the Hawaiian name poha. Also dry goldenberries are often mixed with nuts and eaten as snacks, in few states including California, where they can be found fresh, people like to add them to salads as a variant to cherry tomatoes. Since goldenberries are a useful small crop for the home garden, their landscaping value tends to be more appreciated, the goldenberry plant fruits grow well in a pot or may be used as a border plant where the soft grey-green foliage can be used to offset other species. The plant also makes a nice looking border filler, where the fruit can be accessed and freely eaten.

EUROPE

Europeans are by far the number one lovers of goldenberries, they often pay premium prices to dip
whole fruits in chocolate or toffee and eat them along with a cup of coffee. Goldenberries have many
culinary applications; people use them to decorate cakes and cookies, make tart fillings, pies, puddings, ice creams and they also consume them fresh by incorporating the berries in fruit salads and fruit cocktails. The British have even found a use of the husk, which they use as a handle to dip the goldenberry fruits in icing and chocolate. The fruit is also used in a wide variety of sauces; in France for instant, people love to eat fish toped with goldenberry sauce; Hungarians on the other hand preferred smoked pork toped with goldenberry sauce. Up-scale restaurant chefs love fresh goldenberries; their piquant aftertaste goes perfect with wines and cheeses (the husks are often used as a fork when they are serve for fondu); they also enjoy using the husks for decorating purposes.

SOUTH AMERICA


Goldenberries are native to South America people usually eat them in abundance, wild and fresh,
Colombians like to stew or cook goldenberries with honey and consume them as dessert. The leaves of goldenberries are said to possess therapeutic value, herbal medical practitioners in Colombia
recommend the use of a decoction prepared with the leaves of the goldenberry plant as a diuretic as
well as an anti-asthmatic. Meanwhile in Peru, the native Indian women perfume the goldenberry fruits and often used them as jewelry, also they like to reduce them into compote and feed their babies and interestingly their parrots.



AFRICA

In South Africa, goldenberries are canned in syrup, and then exported, also in Africa as in Colombia people heat the plant's leaves and apply them as a poultice on inflamed areas of the skin. The native Zulu tribe in Africa uses an infusion prepared with the goldenberry leaves as an enema (a procedure used to clean the bowel of feces by injecting a liquid through the anus) to alleviate abdominal disorders in children.

OCEANIA

In Australia and New Zealand, goldenberries are commonly made into jams and pies, people love to eat them fresh alone as a dessert (the papery covering can be peeled back into tissue-thin flower petals that stand out around the berry like a crown). Some people like to garnish meals with the goldenberry’s husks, especially in the fall season since their yellowish color resembles fall leaves.

 

ASIA

In India and China goldenberry is classified as a medicinal fruit.“Rasbhari” how the plant is commonly called in India, is often use in traditional folk medicine to treat malaria, rheumatism, dermatitis, asthma, hepatitis, leukemia and even cancer. In Chinese medicine, goldenberries are called Chinese lanterns and are used as homemade remedies for such conditions as abscesses, coughs, fevers, and sore throat.

Goldenberry Cocktail

Angel Food Cake with Goldenberry Sauce

Paleo Waffles With Golden Berries Recipe

Paleo Waffles With Golden Berries Recipe
http://www.PaleoWaffles,com Now Shipping Nationwide!

Trout in Goldenberry Sauce with Quinoa Tabbouleh

You can find the recipe written in english below

RECIPE ( For 4 servings)

For Tabbouleh

1 Red Pepper
1 Bunch of parsley
1 Romaine Lettuce
1 bunch of mint
500 gr Quinoa
2 Limes
1 clove of minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Water
Oil

For Trout and Goldenberry Sauce

4 Fillets of Skinless Trout
1 sprig of Lemongrass
1 piece of ginger about 2cm long
2 cloves of garlic
3 Red onions finely diced
1 tsp of panela (jaggery, muscovado sugar)
juice of 3 limes
125 gr Goldenberries 
2 tsp of fresh coriander (cilantro)
salt
pepper
oil

Making Goldenberry Jam - Ground Cheery Jam

Ground cherries make a very delicious jam. Jam is easy to make and is a good way to preserve some of that extra fruit.
The recipe I use here is a hybrid cross with Euell Gibbons recipe in his book," Stalking The Wild Asparagus" my own modifications, and sure jells jam making instructions.

For all my jams I use Sure Jells "Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed". I do use sugar in my jams. But what is nice about this pectin is that the sugar to fruit ratio is light on the sugar. Ex.. Strawberry jam using this pectin is 6 cups berries and 4 cups sugar. Using the regular Sure Jell pectin would require 5 cups of berries and a whopping 7 cups of sugar, waaay to sweet for me. The fruit taste is almost hidden by all that sugar. 

The less sugar pectin doesn't over power the fruits good flavor and makes a much better tasting and satisfying product.

Here are the recipes:
Original from Euell Gibbons book;
To make jam, crush 1 quart of husked ground cherries and add the juice of 2 lemons, the grated peel of 1 lemon, ½ cup of water and 1 package of powdered pectin. Boil for 5 minutes, then add 4 cups of sugar. Boil hard for a minute or two, or until you get a jelly test; pour into half pint jars and seal immediately.

Here is the recipe as I made it in the video;
App 6 - 7 cups husked ground cherries, crushed ( in small batches) 
½ cup water 
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest ( grated peel, no white stuff) from one lemon
4 cups sugar 
¼ cup sugar set aside to mix with pectin
1 box of Sure Jells "Premium Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes"

Add the water, lemon juice and zest to the ground cherries
Add the pectin to the ¼ cup of sugar and mix together 
Add pectin/sugar mix to the ground cherries
Bring mixture to full boil
Stir in remaining sugar, quickly, and return to a full rolling boil
Boil for a full minute +
Put into jars and seal

For the most part I followed the Sure Jells instructions for when and how to add the ingredients. But since ground cherries isn't one of the fruits on their instructions, I just use my own judgement and past experience on how to make it work. And as you can see at the end of the video, the jam turns out perfect

5 Things You Need To Know About The Mighty Goldenberry

The mighty Goldenberry, how we like to call it here at Merit Trade LLC, is an ancient, delicious citrusy, tangy, flavorful and nutrient-rich fruit originally cultivated by the Incas. This berry, approximately the size of a marble is known by various names including Cape Gooseberry, Aztec berry, Poha berry, Harankash, or Physalis Peruviana (scientific name), however depending on where you live in the world you might know this fruit by a dozen-plus names. 

Although not very popular in the U.S;       Goldenberries are attracting more and more attention due to the desire of many people to become more conscious about their eating habits. Loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, Golden- berries consumption can significantly improve your overall health. There are endless reasons why people should become familiar with this exotic fruit, of course besides the obvious one, their incredible taste, which makes them a great addition to salads and cake crusts or a simple out of the bag healthy snack. Here are just five of the many health benefits related to Goldenberries that you want to know about.

1. GOLDENBERRIES ARE THE NEW SUPERFOOD

Recently Goldenberries have been added to the list of superfoods. The term superfoods is given to an special category of foods found in nature. This foods are nutrient-rich and considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. Some of this foods include avocado, kale, chia seeds, coconut and many more, They are superior sources of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients that are vital for our body but cannot make ourselves.

In addition to anti-oxidants and essential nutrients, Goldenberries are a great source of  complex B vitamins (B1, B2, B6 and B12).  These complex B vitamins help reducing stress, improve memory, reduce fatigue, spur metabolism, relieve PMS and reduce the risk of heart disease.  

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is also very prominent in goldenberries There is more vitamin C in this exotic fruit than in pears, pineapples, or plums, and only slightly less than citrus fruits. Almost 15% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C is present in a single serving of golden berries, this makes them a very important fruit for the immune system. Furthermore, vitamin C is a key component in the production of collagen, which is what the body needs to repair and produce cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels.

2. GOLDENBERRIES CAN BATTLE CANCER

The consumption of goldenberries is recommended for people who have a genetic or environmental predisposition towards developing cancer. The primary compound in golden berries that seems to do the healing are a group of naturally occurring steroidal lactones called withanolides. Considerable research shows that withanolides found in goldenberries have anticancer benefits, similar to the ginseng, an indian  plant categorized as an adaptogenic healing plant, because of its benefits to the endocrine system. Withanolides are quite rare, these are powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory unique organic compounds that can slow or even reverse the spread of cancerous cells throughout the body. though beating cancer with plants alone is controversial, those like goldenberries that contain withanolides can be useful in parallel therapy. 

3. GOLDENBERRIES ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF VITAMING B12

As said before goldenberries are a great source of complex B vitamins. Vitamin B12 is of particular importance since it can be found naturally in a wide variety of animal foods, but is very hard to find in plant foods unless they are fortified, this is great news for people that follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Goldenberries can also help people who have had gastrointestinal surgery, since they loose the ability to absorb vitamin B12. Low levels of B12 can cause anemia, loss of balance, numbness or tingling in the arms and legs and weakness. 

4. GOLDENBERRIES PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS

With only 53 calories per 100 grams, goldenberries are an excellent option for people trying to lose weight, their high antioxidant value and low sugar content can play a role in low calorie diets and products. The natural sugar content in golden berries is mainly sucrose and is very low in fructose allowing these tiny fruits to deliver a large percentage of your daily nutrients, yet they don’t contribute negative fats or calories to your overall intake, helping you keep weight loss goals on track.

5. ANTI-INFLAMATORY BENEFITS

Probably the most recognized health benefit of goldenberries is their  anti-inflammatory effects derived from their high antioxidant content. This antioxidants can prevent certain chronic diseases and if you suffer from arthritis, gout, muscle aches, chronic pain, or even hemorrhoids, anti-inflammatory compounds can soothe these conditions and increase your quality of life.             Goldenberries are also able to prevent Inflammation of the arteries and blood vessels, which can be very dangerous for the cardiovascular system and lead to the development of atherosclerosis heart disease. it effectively lowers blood pressure as well, which further decreases the symptoms of hypertension and gives relief to your heart.

Although the exact pathway for this benefits aren't completely understood, goldenberries have also been associated with a reduction in liver scarring and a reversal of liver degradation. Furthermore, goldenberries are linked to optimal kidney health, helping to eliminate toxins by stimulating urination and flushing out excess fats, salts, and toxins from the lymphatic system. 

Lemon fingers with candied ground cherries (Biscuit citron aux physalis confits)

Two Peruvain Superfoods: Pichuberry Quinoa Salad

Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen: Mulberry & Golden Berry Chutney

http://www.AniPhyo.com/ -I'll show you how to make a vegan, raw food recipe using tangy golden berries mixed with sweet mulberries, a hint of Indian spices and fresh cilantro. A fast, easy, nutritious, delicious raw food. No cooking, simply process and serve. 

Visit my raw food website for more recipe ideas, more videos, and organic ingredients:

Incan Berry and Kale Salad Recipe

Ingredients 

1/4 cup incan berries 

Kale leaves

Juice of half of lemon

1 avocado 

1 small tomato

1/2 a carrot

1/4 cup of olives 

4-5 dried apricots

2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds

Preparations

Firstly in a bowl, prepare your kale and squeeze in some lemon. 

Chop half a carrot, a tomato and a avocado and put these in with your bowl of kale.

Now add some olives, dried apricots and pumpkin seeds. 

Give everything a good mix around. 

Complete the dish by topping your salad with the incan berries.

Welcome to our Blog Goldenberry World

Welcome to our Blog dedicated to the wonderful world of the Goldenberry, we'll share all there is to know about this amazing superfruit. from recipes to Health benefits and much more.


We'll start at the very beginning, what are Goldenberries?

Its scientific name is Physalis Peruviana, but it goes by so many names that you can easily get confused, some of the most common names are Cape Gooseberries, Inca Berries, Peruvian Groundcherries, etc.

They are indigenous to South America, but has been cultivated in  England since the late 18th century and in South Africa in the region of the Cape of Good Hope since at least the start of the 19th century.



The Goldenberry is a small round berry about the size of a marble, its most notable feature is the inflated paper calyx enclosing each berry.

They are very popular in South American countries, especially in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, people eat them mostly fresh, although numerous recipes and concoctions have been created with the amazingly complex flavor of the goldenberry.

Buy Dried Goldenberries at merit-trade.com

When you first bite into a goldenberry you immediately will taste some bitterness or acidity, but after a few seconds an amazing burst of sweetness coupled with the tartness of the fruit will fill your mouth and you wont stop eating them.

Goldenberries are adaptogenic foods, which refers to foods that reduce the body stress level. The pectin in goldenberries is said to keep the blood sugar at its optimum level. that is why goldenberries are recommended to people with diabetes.

Goldenberries are considered to be a supefruit because there are  few fruits to have all the B vitamins, including B12, this is particularly good news for vegans, who know the difficulty in finding this in plant form.

They are also a great source of protein, especially for a fruit, with a 16% pure protein, higher than the goji berry

Here's a recap of all the wonderful benefits of Goldenberries, although there is still a lot of research to be done:

Increases metabolism, Promotes good blood circulation, Cleanses the blood by removing harmful toxins, Reduces stress and tension, High in protein (16% total), Contains vitamin B12, Great source of phosphorous, Contains high levels of vitamins A, B, and C

We'll be sharing a lot of more interesting information about the Goldenberry coupled with videos, interviews  and free samples contests so you don't want to miss a post.