The mulberries from the plane tree (Morus kagayamae, also known as Morus bombycis) are among the least utilized ornamental tree fruits in cooking, even though their flavor profile is closer to that of a sweet wild blackberry than to a bland decorative fruit. Comparing their culinary potential to that of other common berries helps to assess what these fruits truly bring to a recipe and where they reach their limits.
Plane Tree and Urban Foraging: What the Regulations Say
A recurring barrier to the use of plane tree mulberries is the issue of urban pollution. These trees are often planted in alignment in French cities, raising doubts about the sanitary quality of their fruits.
You may also like : Discover the selection from Gourmandises et Cie to properly equip your kitchen
Recent studies on urban fruits, including a 2023 study by ANSES, indicate that mulberries harvested more than 1.50 m off the ground are rarely contaminated beyond usual health thresholds for heavy metals, provided they are picked away from heavily trafficked areas and washed. This finding paves the way for regulated foraging rather than a blanket rejection.
On the commercial transformation side, European regulations on novel foods (EU Regulation 2015/2283) facilitate the use of Morus spp. fruits in fermented beverages, condiments, or nutritional powders. Mulberries from ornamental mulberry trees, including those from the plane tree, are considered traditionally consumed in the European Union. The preparation of edible fruits from the plane tree into jams or syrups thus falls within a clear legal framework for both individuals and artisans.
See also : Discover the secrets of a healthy and slim kitchen
Plane Tree Mulberry Compared to Other Berries in Cooking
To evaluate the actual culinary interest of these mulberries, a comparative table with other berries used in pastry and preserves helps to situate their characteristics.
| Criterion | Plane Tree Mulberry | Brambles | Blueberry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominant Flavor | Sweet, slightly tangy | Tangy, tannic | Sweet, woody |
| Texture | Juicy, fragile | Firm, noticeable seeds | Firm, thin skin |
| Cooking Stability | Breaks down quickly | Holds its shape | Holds its shape |
| Coloring Power | Very high (dark purple) | High | Moderate |
| Harvest Period | Late summer | Summer | Summer |
| Commercial Availability | Almost none (foraging) | Common | Common |
The plane tree mulberry stands out for its very high coloring power and fragility when cooked. This fragility, far from being a universal flaw, makes it an ideal fruit for coulis, syrups, and sauces where a smooth texture is desired without prolonged blending.
On the other hand, for a tart or clafoutis where the fruits need to retain their shape after baking, the bramble remains more suitable. The choice therefore directly depends on the type of preparation intended.
Three Preparations Where the Plane Tree Mulberry Outshines Alternatives
Rather than a catalog of recipes, three uses take advantage of the specific properties of this fruit.
Low-Cooked Jam and Fruit Paste
The natural sugar richness of these mulberries allows for a reduction in the amount of added sugar compared to a bramble jam. The fruit breaks down on its own during cooking, resulting in a homogeneous texture without the need for blending.
Municipal programs in France and Switzerland incorporate the plane-leaved mulberry into workshops for transforming into jams and fruit pastes distributed through short supply chains, with positive feedback on reducing food waste.
Concentrated Syrup for Cocktails and Desserts
The syrup from plane tree mulberries produces an intense dark purple color that few fruits match without added coloring. The method is simple: macerate the fruits with sugar for a few hours, then filter. This syrup can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator and works well in plain yogurt or in a sweet-sour vinaigrette.
Accompaniment Sauce for Meats and Cheeses
The slight acidity of these mulberries, combined with their sweetness, produces a sauce that pairs well with duck, lamb, or aged sheep cheese. The delicate flavor of the fruit does not overpower the main dish, unlike a more tannic red fruit sauce.
Harvesting and Storing Plane Tree Mulberries
The main difficulty with these fruits lies in their very short harvest window and extreme fragility. Mulberries go from ripe to fermented on the tree in just a few days.
- Harvest early in the morning when the fruits are still firm and fresh, gently shaking the branches over a clean cloth spread on the ground
- Sort immediately: discard crushed or brown-stained fruits, which ferment very quickly and alter the taste of an entire batch
- Freeze within an hour if transformation is not planned for the same day, spreading the fruits in a single layer on a tray before bagging
- Wear gloves and dark clothing: the juice stains light fabrics almost irreversibly
Freezing does not degrade the taste quality for use in jams or syrups, as the texture breaks down anyway during transformation. For raw consumption, thawed fruits lose their firmness.
Sterile or Fruiting Plane Tree: Distinguishing Varieties in the Garden
Not all plane tree mulberries are equal in cooking. Morus kagayamae generously produces sweet fruits every summer. In contrast, the cultivar Morus alba ‘Fruitless’, selected for ornamentation, is a sterile hybrid whose rare fruits have no culinary interest.
Identifying the variety before harvesting avoids disappointment. A fruiting plane tree can be recognized by the abundance of berries on the ground at the end of summer. A tree that produces nothing or almost nothing after several years of maturity is likely a sterile cultivar, planted for its shade and ornamental foliage.
Plane tree mulberries remain a seasonal foraged product, difficult to store and absent from conventional distribution channels. This commercial rarity, combined with a flavor profile suited for liquid transformations (syrups, coulis, sauces), makes it a niche ingredient whose culinary value depends primarily on the right timing of harvest and the choice of the right tree variety.