( CONFESSION ) We used to strain this in an old sock, clean of course the plant is stagghorn sumaac but we called it

( wilderness cool aid ).

Three kinds that I know of stagghorn, also called stink tree in the city and they grow every where, smooth, and poison
( white berries, later in the season ) smooth is not as good, ....cold is always better, We used to alternate between sasafrass and stagghorn and other berry drinks for variety,

I found this very helpfull. Turns out there is a lot of this in my neck of the woods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhus_typhina

[b][color=#4000FF]Watchman Note:[/color][/b]

[quote]The warning is valid but they do not look alike - but some people will not look at the picture and just follow the "sumac" label. [/quote]

This bears a bit more looking into. Once upon a time, more years ago than I care to count while in northern PA, I slash burned a bunch of the Sumac that looked very much like the Staghorn variety. Sick as a dog comes to mind. When the locals finally finished laughing at me they explained all about the dangers of burning Poison Sumac.

My reference library is still packed away and will be for awhile yet. I'll see if I can get to the bottom of this once I am able to unpack.

On the matter of berries, whether from a tree or a bush, I, from an early age, was taught "if it's white, avoid it." That, of course, does not mean all other berries are okay, but it at least helps remove one large danger area from your consideration when opting to take the foraging route.

Warning!

This wonderful treat has a poisonous lookalike cousin. Poison Sumac is more of an eastern US thang but can be found as far west as Idaho. I fear my books are currently packed away so a quick Wikipedia quote will have to suffice: "All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans. When burned, inhalation of the smoke causes diarrhea and other internal irritations." I've lived around the poisonous variety most of my life and am still adjusting to the staghorn since hitting the coast.

As with all things wild and edible, please always research for dangerous lookalikes BEFORE trying a new find. Most years there's someone who thought they were enjoying a wild onion but died because it was death camas instead.

Regarding the staghorn tea, I have yet to get a chance to try it but have read it can vary year to year with some years being terrible and the next absolutely wonderful. So, if at first you don't succeed, try again next year.

[b][color=#4000FF]Watchman Note:[/color][/b]

The warning is valid but they do not look alike - but some people will not look at the picture and just follow the "sumac" label. Here is a picture of poison sumac - note the rounded leaves and white berries in sprigs. The bottom photo is staghorn sumac - it is called staghorn because of the shape of the cluster of red berries and the fact that the small shoots are "fuzz-covered", just like a young deer's antlers. Staghorn Sumac is very widely used and consumed in the middle east as a drink, a flavoring and a dye. Heres a photo of the staghorn sumac. Notice the leaves look jaggedly pointy, almost like marijuana leaves (can I say that word out loud?):

[img]http://www.poison-sumac.org/test-sumac.jpg[/img]

Staghorn Sumac is very widely used and consumed in the middle east as a drink, a flavoring and a dye. Heres a photo of the staghorn sumac. I will also note that the leaves on the tree on our property are a lot more jagged than this photo.

[img]http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/others/staghorn--sumac-32024.jpg[/img]

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a tree growing just off our back deck had foraging properties! I didn't know what the tree was but with a little research discovered it was a 'Staghorn Sumac' and that the clustered berries are used to make 'Sumac Lemonade'. The [b][i]young[/i][/b] stems can also be peeled and consumed. I tried the stems but it is too late in the season and they had absolutely no taste. Yesterday I picked some clusters and put them in a jar and poured [b]COLD[/b] water over them. I stress the point, do not use warm or hot water as it will leach tannin from the branches and be extremely bitter. I let it sit for about an hour and a half and then strained it with a strainer; I then strained it again through a cloth to remove the tiny hairs that are on the sumac berry - they are not harmful, just unpleasant. I put the jar in the refrigerator and last night put some ice in a glass, a little organic sugar and filled it up with the juice - it is an extremely pale pink, hardly any color. I got up my courage and took a drink - wow! It was tart but very delicious. Even my wife tried it and thought it was very good. Here's what the tree looks like - but I urge anyone to do research before they taste unknowns.

[img]http://www.preparedness-survival.com/sumac1.jpg[/img]