Akebia Berry Smoothie

Akebia Berry Smoothie

The fruit on my akebia have split open, smiling with their seed and pulp glistening on the inside. I find it too much work to sit and eat it directly from the pod, so instead I decided I’d separate the pulp from the seeds with the help of my food mill.

All those akebia and it amounted to about a cup of pulp… but that’s alright, I made a tasty side dish (Akebia Miso Itame) with the rind, which is just like a very tender bitter gourd.

I mixed in some of my rose and berry jam, a bit of water, some sugar, and iced it all up—the creamy Akebia almost creating an ice cream consistency! Unfortunately, I only got to have a little before my cute children downed the whole cup. Traditionally it’s mixed with lemon juice, but either way I feel really enhances the delicate flavor.

If I had to explain the flavor of Akebia pulp, I would say it tastes like the flesh of a soft and ripe persimmon.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup akebia pulp (no seeds)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon jam (or lemon juice)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ice
  1. Mix the pulp, water, jam or lemon juice, and sugar together until sugar has dissolved (add more if you prefer it sweeter). Combine with ice and serve cold!