A Berry Special Adventure: Discovering Service Berries and Making Saskatoon Syrup

Have you ever stumbled upon a delightful flavor that becomes an instant favorite? That's precisely what happened when I found the naturally sweet Service Berries (Amelanchier alnifolia)! Whether you call them Service Berries or, as some folks in Canada do, Saskatoons (a much more fun name!), they're on my must-pick list every summer/fall. And then again, Saskatoon Service Berry is also a common name. There is another Service Berry (Amelanchier arborea) that is downy and not as flavorful. It gets confusing as so many berries seem to be called Service Berries!!

My interest was piqued; I researched and found that Service Berries are a mystery wrapped in a delectable, juicy enigma. Part of the Rose family (Rosaceae), these are not to be confused with huckleberries, members of the Heather family (Ericaceae)—they're not even cousins!