So, what is mayhaw? If you’re not a wildlife buff, you wouldn’t have a lamb’s idea what a mayhaw is, technically speaking. They taste putrid, but darn it, those little things make for some good jelly. And I ain’t bluffing about it.

I came across this particular jelly when a neighbor brought some back from her trip across Texas. Said it was good ‘pikin’ since these bottles don’t come often. Most of the folks don’t have an idea how to make jelly, much more mayhaw jelly. Well, what in tarnation is a mayhaw?

Mayhaws are fruits (they are) about an inch big. It’s red or yellow when ripe, but darn it, does it taste foul when eaten raw. They’re harvested from the middle of April through May, growing in trees. The trees reach at least 20 or 30 feet, often found in low, wetlands, on usually acidic soil. They excel well in soil found upland though, an irony in most cases.

These trees used to grow in the marshes, sloughs, swamps and in rivers. Harvesting was hard, and had to use boats in order to have access to the fruits. It was an informal ritual to harvest mayhaws during early spring till summer. The ritual does not leave you unrewarded though. The rewards for the deserving are the bucket loads of fruits that fall off the tree, right into your boat or your nets.

Mayhaw may suck in the fruit category, but they make one of the most heavenly jams. The taste is uniquely divine, inspired by at least three or four flavors most Americans would be aware of. It is a southern delicacy, a preserved ambrosia, a jam of ages. Well, putting it bluntly, it tastes good and I’d be willing to spend my bottom dollar so I could get myself one bottle of it.

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