Orange sea-buckthorn a true vitamin-cracker

The sea buckthorn is ripe: small crop, fine taste

The sea-buckthorn is a true vitamin-cracker from nature. Its vitamin C content of at least 200 mg per 100 g even outshines the lemon. This autumn, however, the harvest will be significantly lower than in previous years, as the berries are much smaller and in part shriveled by the prolonged drought. The concentration of positive ingredients is expected to be higher. In addition to vitamin C, vitamins A and E as well as vitamin B12, which is important for vegetarians, are also included. In addition, the berry scores with phytochemicals and minerals such as calcium and magnesium.

The orange-red to yellow sea buckthorn berries have a tart to acidic flavor and are therefore rarely eaten raw. Processed as juice, thickened marrow, syrup, jam, jelly and tea, on the other hand, they are a very special treat.

A juice can be made simply by boiling the berries with water and a little honey. Then pass the hot liquid through a pass cloth and fill into bottles. Sea buckthorn blends well with other fruits such as apricot, orange and apple. So a dash of apple juice softens the sour taste of sea buckthorn juice. Juice and the "lemon of the north" give smoothies, kefir, yogurt, cereals and sweet desserts, but also a spicy pumpkin soup an extraordinary touch.

The sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) belongs to the olive-willow-plants and grows above all in the coastal-areas of the North- and Baltic Sea. In eastern states such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, the plant is cultivated.

Fresh berries are hard to find on the market. It is worthwhile to plant the sea buckthorn in your own garden. This requires a sunny spot with a sandy bottom and at least two female and one male specimen. Because the sea buckthorn is not a pollinator.

The harvest is associated with some effort. Wear gloves to protect hands from long thorns. The berries burst easily and are therefore not so easy to pick. Alternatively, you can spread a cloth and shake the fruit off the shrub. A gentler method is to cut berry-rich branches, to clear leaves and cut into handy pieces. After several hours in the freezer, the fruit is easier to detach from the twig and can be processed.

Do not wait too long to harvest. Because shortly before maturity, the sea buckthorn tastes particularly aromatic. Heike Kreutz, bzfe