Product Description

Barberry - whole fruit (dried) The price is for packaging of 10 grams of this spice. Berberis vulgaris, also known as  common barberry,   European barberry or simply  barberry, is a  shrub in the genus  Berberis. It produces edible but sharply acidic berries, which people in many countries eat as a tart and refreshing fruit. The shrub is native to central and southern  Europe, northwest  Africa and western  Asia;  it is also  naturalised in northern Europe, including the  British Isles and  Scandinavia, and  North America. In the  United States and  Canada, it has become established in the wild over an area from  Nova Scotia to  Nebraska, with additional populations in  Colorado,  Idaho,  Washington State,  Montana, and  British Columbia.  Although not naturalised, in rural  New Zealand it has been widely cultivated as a hedge on farms. It is cultivated for its fruits in many countries. Description It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4 metres (13 ft) high. The leaves are small oval, 2–5 centimetres (0.79–1.97 in) long and 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) broad, with a serrated margin; they are borne in clusters of 2–5 together, subtended by a three-branched spine 3–8 mm long. The flowers are yellow, 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in) across, produced on 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) long panicles in late spring. The fruit is an oblong red berry 7–10 millimetres (0.28–0.39 in) long and 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) broad, ripening in late summer or autumn; they are edible but sour. Culinary uses The berries are edible and rich in vitamin C, though with a very sharp flavor; the thorny shrubs make harvesting them difficult, so in most places, they are not widely consumed. They are an important food for many small birds, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. In Europe, the berries have been traditionally used as an ingredient in making jam. The berries are high in pectin which makes the jam congeal as it cools after having been boiled. In southwestern Asia, especially Iran, the berries are used for cooking, as well as for jam-making. In Iran, barberries are commonly used as a currant in rice pilaf. Zereshk or sereshk is the Persian name for the dried fruit of Berberis spp., specially that of Berberis integerrima 'Bidaneh', which is widely cultivated in Iran. Iran is the largest producer of zereshk. The South Khorasan province in Iran is the main area of zereshk and saffron production in the world, especially around Birjand and Qaen. About 85% of production is in Qaen and about 15% in Birjand. There is evidence of cultivation of seedless barberry in South Khorasan two hundred years ago. A garden of zereshk is called zereshk-estan. Zereshk is widely used in cooking, imparting a tart flavor to chicken dishes. It is usually cooked with rice, called zereshk polo, and provides a nice meal with chicken.

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