In gardens and forest belts of a midland of Russia of a chokeberry it is possible to thank the famous Soviet selector I.S. Michurin for emergence and distribution. His efforts the wild North American bush turned into a fruit-tree which till fall is sprinkled by clusters of black tart sweetish berries. Unlike other fruit trees, the chokeberry harvest quite often remains untidy, and meanwhile, from it it is possible to make useful and tasty compote including for the winter.
Useful properties of a chokeberry
Chokeberry berries which ripen in September-October contain vitamins: Р, E, C, carotene and vitamins of group B and also minerals: iodine, iron, fluorine, copper, molybdenum, manganese, pine forest. In them there is also a sorbite, a glycoside of an amigdalin, it is a lot of pectinaceous and tannins.
Thanks to the medicinal properties, the chokeberry and products from it help to reduce pressure in an initial stage of a hypertension, have preventive effect and warn atherosclerosis, lower cholesterol level in blood, strengthen walls of blood vessels.
Chokeberry berries in a fresh and dry look and also in the form of drinks, including compotes, strengthen nervous system, have the calming and weakening effect, their use increases blood clotting, promote outflow of bile and strengthen effect of enzymes of gastric juice.
Besides, these fruits help at a disease and violation of functions of a thyroid gland, thanks to the iodine which is contained in them, they also strengthen immunity and bring radioactive materials out of an organism. Having learned about so many useful properties of these wonderful berries, you, for certain, want to make of them tasty compote.
It is possible to add a little fresh mint to compotes and fruit drinks from a chokeberry to increase their refreshing properties.
Chokeberry compote
If you want to prepare by apples as at berries the astringent flavor and addition of apples will help to soften it. On 1 kg of berries it will be required to you: - 4 l of water; - 2 large apples; - ½ lemons; - 700 g of granulated sugar.
Berries of a chokeberry have antiseptic properties and can be stored in the fresh winter at a zero temperature.
Wash out the picked berries in flowing water, wash apples, cut segments, having cut out a core. Boil water in a big pan, pour out berries, lay out apples and the unpeeled lemon cut by small pieces, add sugar. When water begins to boil, lower fire, you cook 10 more minutes on slow fire and then remove a pan from a plate. Let's compote cool down and infuse, after that it can be drunk. When you want to preserve compote for the winter, put the washed-out berries and the cut apples in the same quantity in the 3-liter washed-up and sterilized jar. Pour boiled water in bank, let's stand 10 minutes, then drain water and again boil it, add a glass of sugar and citric acid on a knife tip. Pour out the begun to boil water in bank and at once roll up it a cover for conservation. To bank accurately turn, put on a cover to make sure that it is closed hermetically. Leave to cool down and then remove on storage to the dark cool place.