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We have found a European Cranberry (Viburnum opulus) bush on our property and I read on Wikipedia about a drink they make with it in turkey called Gilaboru. I searched on the internet about how to prepare the berries and also for a recipe for the drink, but I couldn't find anything. Does somebody here know how to prepare the berries and also has a recipe for the drink?

Or does maybe someone have a different idea on what to make with them? I have never worked with the berries before and I am kind of worried because they are mildly toxic.

Well, after trawling through loads of badly-translated Turkish websites, I think that the drink you're talking about is a tea made from the infused bark of the plant. Sounds about as tasty as mouldy cheese to me, but there you go. Unfortunately, that's all that's said - no recipe. However, the berries and the bark don't appear to differ markedly in their active constituents, so if you're looking for health benefits the berries, I think, would be every bit as efficaceous.

Treat the berries as any other cranberry because they ARE just any other cranberry. A quick Google turned up lots of cranberry wine recipes, which is about all that would interest me. However, I'm sure that other people on here can pile in with tons of other cranberry recipes.

Mike

Cranberry isn't a Viburnum, it's a Vaccinium and if you read the Wiki link as BH mentions, the fruit can be mildly toxic..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viburnum_opulus

"The fruit is edible in small quantities, with a very acidic taste; it can be used to make jelly. It is however very mildly toxic, and may cause vomiting or diarrhea if eaten in large amounts (Plants for a Future)."

I love those Snowball viburnum bushes and the berries are out in full autumn force at the moment with the autumn leaf colour too - but unfortunately that's due to drought. Personally I'd leave the berries to look pretty and for the birds. The bark tea sounds useful if you have painful periods!

Oh dear!!! Well, there are obviously two European cranberries. I found it listed as a Vaccinium in several different places - now I see that it's also listed as a Viburnum.

How sure are we which one we're talking about?

EDIT: I've just checked toxicity reports - the cranberry (as in Vaccinium) has exactly the same toxicity recognition as you quoted for Viburnum, MMM. Both will give you the gripes if you eat or drink enough of them. That's the point, I think - it's a bit like apple pips and cyanide.

Mike

Well cranberry is the stuff we eat at Xmas or Thanksgiving depending on where you come from, and Viburnums are ornamental shrubs we have in the garden which we grow for their pretty flowers/perfume/berries. The plant we are talking about is usually known as the Snowball bush or Guelder rose, personally I've never heard anyone call it a cranberry, but it's one of many names listed for the plant on Wikipedia. I just know it by its Latin name. It does save a lot of confusion.

But I am not nitpicking with you but just highlighting the fact that it wasn't cranberry as we think of cranberry in case anyone reading this doesn't know their shrubs and went off thinking they'd make their cranberry sauce for crimbo or a drink from a Viburnum! We have to have some warnings on here as anyone can read this.

However I wouldn't be surprised if eating tons of real cranberries gave your diarrheoa or stomach problems, after all we wouldn't eat tons of elderberries or anything else sour would we? And even eating plums can give some people the trots.