the alcohol to gel Lingonberries or cowberries are the fruit of a European relative of the cranberry, V vitisidaea; they have a distinctive, complex flavor The European cranberry, V oxycoccus, has a stronger and more grassy, herbaceous flavor than the American species Currants and Gooseberries Currants and gooseberries are all species of the genus Ribes, which is found in northern Europe and North America These small berries don’t appear to have been cultivated until around 1500 (Their cultivation in the United States has been retarded by federal and state restrictions because they can harbor a disease that attacks white pines.) There are white and red currants, R sativum and R rubrum, and hybrids between the two The black currant R nigrum, is higher in acid than the others, and has a distinctively intense aroma made up of many spicy terpenes, fruity esters, and a musky, “catty” sulfur compound that is also found in sauvignon blanc wines Black currants are also notably rich in vitamin C and in antioxidant phenolic compounds — as much as 1% of their weight — about a third of which are anthocyanin pigments Currants are mainly made into preserves, and the French make black currants into a liqueur, crème de cassis The gooseberry, R grossularia, is larger than the currant, and is often picked unripe for cooking in tarts and sauces The jostaberry is a black currant–gooseberry cross Grapes Grapes are the berries of woody vines in the genus Vitis V vinifera, the major source of wine and table grapes, is native to Eurasia (p 772) There are also about 10 grape species native to temperate Asia, and 25 to North America, including the V labrusca that gives us Concord and Catawba grapes About two-thirds of the world’s grape ... preserves, and the French make black currants into a liqueur, crème de cassis The gooseberry, R grossularia, is larger than the currant, and is often picked unripe for cooking in tarts and sauces The jostaberry is... a black currant–gooseberry cross Grapes Grapes are the berries of woody vines in the genus Vitis V vinifera, the major source of wine and table grapes, is native to Eurasia (p 772) There are also about 10 grape species native to temperate Asia, and 25... grape species native to temperate Asia, and 25 to North America, including the V labrusca that gives us Concord and Catawba grapes About two-thirds of the world’s grape