News about Ancona’s urban farm
“Dog berries”
It’s become an annual tradition for third and fourth graders to harvest the berries of our Cornelian cherry tree (Cornus mas). The name is a misnomer; it’s not a cherry at all, but a dogwood, albeit with enormous, pitted fruits. Americans don’t know what to do with them, but in the Middle East, where the tree is from, the berries are used to make a tart sauce akin to pomegranate syrup.
We make a quick jam with the “dog berries” that the students consume on the spot, while it’s still hot.