“Berry” Good Eating In The Outdoors

I am in regular communication with hunters from areas other than Louisiana and the South. These folks are constantly talking about finding “morels”, a mushroom that is apparently a delicacy. Reading their posts on hunting forums about finding morels makes me think that locating a batch of these mushrooms is nearly as exciting as bagging a big gobbler.

From what I can determine, morels are rare in our part of the country so I can only imagine how good they must be. What we lack in morels, though, we make up for in wild fruit that flourishes in the south.

Growing up out on the rural route, the fruit growing wild in the fields and swamps provided many a tasty treat. Some of the first fruits to ripen were wild plums. Pick only the ones that were getting soft or those that had just dropped to the ground, pop one in your mouth and you got a mixture of sweet tartness.

Mayhaws are a mystery fruit. Every spring, my family would head down to the Salt Works and wade the backwaters, scooping up ripe mayhaws. A wild plum was a lump of sugar compared to a ripe mayhaw. They were so tart, even the red ones, they’d bring tears to your eyes if you ate one. However, when my mother got finished with them in her kitchen, they were transformed into a translucent pink jelly that fairly cried to be slathered on a hot homemade biscuit dripping with churned butter.

Wild huckleberries were another special springtime treat. Resembling blueberries except they were half the size, wild huckleberries made some of the best cobblers and jam I ever tasted.

Another berry, though, was to the wild fruit family what purple hulls are to the pea family. They grew in abundance and when ripe, you could fill a lard bucket with shiny blackberries in an hour whereas in a hard morning of picking huckleberries, you were lucky if you gathered half that many.

Today, most of the jelly and jam I eat comes in a jar with a label. My sister still keeps my mother’s spirit alive by continuing to make jellies and jams from wild fruit and if I’m lucky, she shares a jar or two with me. I hate to admit that I hide the good stuff when company comes, hauling out those labeled Smuckers and Kraft instead.

Another of my favorite dishes made from wild fruit is blackberry cobbler. Kay has perfected the art of making fruit cobblers and when she has one in the oven, I hang around the kitchen like a puppy until it’s done and cool enough to eat without scorching my tongue.

I haven’t had a blackberry cobbler in several years simply because I haven’t found enough blackberries worth fighting red bugs, thorns and mosquitoes for. A few years ago, while foraging around in the brush outside the yard fence at our house, I found the mother lode. Big, juicy blackberries dripped from the vines just over the fence

I was transported to another era as I waded through the briars, picking sweet black fruit until my bucket was full. It’s the most I’ve found since I last stood shoulder to shoulder with my mom, gathering plump berries that hung in clusters on the garden fence back home.

When Kay transformed the berries I picked into a cobbler and I scoop out a sizeable helping, I’ll dump Blue Bell ice cream over it, watching little rivulets of melting ice cream turning milky purple blending with the juices of the pie. We couldn’t buy Blue Bell when I was growing up so mom garnished the cobblers she made with rich cream skimmed from the top of the crock in the ice box.

I’d still love to know how a morel mushroom tastes, but in the meantime, I’ll just have another helping of my wife’s cobbler, thank you.

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Bass are best at night on soft plastics and dark colored crank baits. Some are caught early morning around the grass on topwater lures. Some bass are chasing shad on the surface and are schooling. Shad imitation lures are working best.. Crappie are best around submerged tops in 16-18 foot water with shiners and jigs taking some nice fish. Bream fishing has slowed down. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Because of the hot weather, fishing has been best early and late in the day. Some nice bass continued to be picked up early on topwater lures and soft plastics working best later. Crappie are on the flats and are biting on shiners or jigs. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is falling and is quite low because of lock and dam problems down stream. Lazarre ramp and Joe Bob’s are now open with better catches of fish downstream. A good many catfish are being caught and crappie fishing is best around submerged tops in the river and in the bayou. Bass are fair on shad imitations in the cuts. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Summer patterns are best because of the hot weather. Some bass are schooling and hitting topwater lures. Wobbleheads are picking up some fish around the grass. Crappie are scattered and on the deep flats. Shiners and jigs are working best. Bream are fair. Catfish are good fishing off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing has been fair on jigs and shiners suspended over deeper water. Bass are around the banks and hitting topwaters early while later hitting hit spinners and soft plastics with some schooling reported on the surface. Night fishing has improved around lighted piers and boat docks on soft plastics and crank baits. Bream are scattered. Stripers are schooling and hitting shad imitations. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish are good while bass and crappie are rather slow. For information, contact the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is falling with lots of catfish being caught. Bass and crappie are fair. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.