Europe had its own native strawberry (F vesca and F moschata), which is now called the “wild” strawberry or fraise de bois(“woodland strawberry”), even though it’s cultivated This strawberry was mentioned in Roman literature, subsequently cultivated, and by the 15th century had a wonderful fragrance but was still small, pithy and unproductive Early European visitors to North America were impressed by the size and vigor of an American species, F virginiana, and brought it back to Europe Then a Frenchman by the stunningly appropriate name of Frézier found the walnutsized fruits of another New World species, F chiloensis, growing in Chile, and took that species to France in 1712 Around 1750, in the strawberry-producing area around Plougastel in Britanny, an accidental hybrid between the two American species arose Then across the Channel in England, a natural mutant of the Chilean species arose, large and pink, with a shape and aroma reminiscent of pineapple Modern strawberry varieties, large and red and flavorful, derive from these two all-American ancestors They have been given the scientific name F x ananassa to indicate their hybrid origins (x) and distinctive pineapple aroma (ananassa) Elderberry and Barberry Elderberries and barberries are minor fruits worth rediscovering Elderberries are pleasantly aromatic fruits borne by trees of the genus Sambucus, which are found across the northern hemisphere They’re usually cooked or made into wine because they are too tart to be enjoyed raw, and contain antinutritional lectins (p 259) that require heating to be inactivated Elderberries are rich in anthocyanin pigments and antioxidant phenolic compounds So is the barberry, from shrubby species of the northern-hemisphere Berberis, which is something like a miniature cranberry and dries well Barberries are much ... Modern strawberry varieties, large and red and flavorful, derive from these two all-American ancestors They have been given the scientific name F x ananassa to indicate their hybrid origins (x) and distinctive... which are found across the northern hemisphere They’re usually cooked or made into wine because they are too tart to be enjoyed raw, and contain antinutritional lectins (p 259) that require heating... anthocyanin pigments and antioxidant phenolic compounds So is the barberry, from shrubby species of the northern-hemisphere Berberis, which is something like a miniature cranberry and dries well Barberries are much