There are many sumachs around, and some of them, like poison oak or poison ivy are toxic. The distinguishing difference is in the berries. The ones we want to gather have red berries; the poisonous ones have white berries. Rhus tribolata, also called squawbush, skunkbush, lemita, or pajul del norte are the most common in our area. They have leaves that appear in threes. The bushes are around five feet tall and grow throughout our region from 2,500 to 5,000 feet in elevation. In July through September, they produce tight little clusters of red berries.
Gather the little clumps of red berries, making sure to pick the most red, as they are very tart, the not-quite ripe ones are unbearably tart. Dry them out of the sun. They are not very juicy - so are easy to dry - and then grind them to the consistency of flakes.
Sumach berries are astringent and refrigerant with a lemon-like flavor. A tasty alternative to lemonade can be made in the following manner:
½ cup dried berries
2 quarts of water
A cup of sugar (if desired)
Soak the berries in the water for about an hour, then strain and sweeten.
A recipe from "Cooking the Wild Southwest" by Carolyn Niethammer describes a zahtar spice mix as being of Middle Eastern origin. It is a wonderful way to use the tangy southwestern sumach fruits. Make the spice mix as follows:
2 tablespoons of dried berry flakes
1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Serve with warm pita triangles and a small dish of good quality olive oil. Dip the pita into the olive oil and then into the zahtar. You can also sprinkle the mixture on a green salad to add flavor and texture.
Sumach leaves don't have a culinary use, but make a nice medicine. The dried and powdered leaves are soothing, astringent and mildly disinfecting for sores or ulcers on the mouth, genitals and nostrils.
For a quick salve, add one tablespoon of powdered leaves to two tablespoons of a base such as Vaseline. Stir well and apply as needed to affected areas. The powder can also be dusted on feet that tend to get red and swollen from the heat. It reduces superficial redness and swelling. Overall, it is a good plant to keep in mind for the summer heat.
Deborah Brandt is a clinical herbalist at From the Ground Up, 339 N. Alameda Blvd. in Las Cruces. She may be reached at 575-523-2652.