Wild grapes in the mountains: people used to cut them down on sight, but now they are superb for winemaking and very precious

Now that the summer solstice has passed, summer has truly arrived, and with it the weather will get hotter and hotter. Most people nowadays like to hide away in air-conditioned rooms, or eat some common summer fruits to cool off, such as grapes, watermelon, melons and so on.

Every time I eat these fruits, I can't help thinking back to country life in the past. Back then we still lived near the mountainous area of the countryside, and living conditions were not as good as they are now. If we wanted fruit, we couldn't afford to buy it, but for country kids at that time this was not a problem at all, because in the mountains in summer there were all kinds of wild fruits that you could eat to your heart's content.

It happens to be the summer holidays now, and I take my child into the mountains to play every day, and I have seen many wild fruits I had not seen for years. These past two days a batch of wild fruits in the mountains has ripened, and I took my child and a bag into the mountains to pick them. Speaking of this wild fruit, many country kids born in the 80s and 90s should be very familiar with it.

Back then many country kids loved eating and playing with this wild fruit. In my hometown area it is called "wild grape" or "black grape". Before this wild grape ripens, it can be said to be a riot of colours - blue, pink, white and so on - but once ripe it turns black.

I remember during the summer holidays as a child, I would go into the mountains with the village kids every day, and back then we would pick these black grapes and throw them at each other for fun, leaving everyone's clothes splotched black and white. When we were tired from playing we would pick these wild grapes and eat them, our mouths black all over. But these wild grapes are also very tasty, sweet and tart, and full of juice, so in the past they were deeply loved by country kids.

Actually, the scientific name of this wild grape is "Ma Yang Teng" (Ampelopsis). In the past, adults would not eat it the way country kids did; instead, as soon as they saw Ma Yang Teng they would cut down the whole plant.

As for the reason for cutting it down, there are actually 2 points. The first is that cutting the stem of Ma Yang Teng makes it exude sap, and this sap is a good thing - a very good Chinese medicinal material with the effects of clearing heat and aiding digestion and cooling the blood. Boiling this sap and drinking it can treat symptoms such as excess heat in the stomach and intestines and headache with fever, and it can also relieve summer heat.

The second point is that the fruit of Ma Yang Teng, that is, the wild grape, is superb for winemaking. The wine made from its fruit is sweet and tart and tasty, and likewise has the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat; children can even drink it as fruit juice.

That is why, back then, adults would cut down Ma Yang Teng whenever they saw it, take it home to collect the sap flowing from its stem, and use the wild grapes to make wine.

Perhaps because Ma Yang Teng was cut down too much in the past, it is now rarely seen in the mountains. I took my child and searched for a long time before finding it, which makes it seem all the more precious. So now, when you see it, don't cut it down casually - just pick some wild fruit to eat.

Dear friends, did you eat this kind of wild grape when you were little? Have you ever made wine with it? You are welcome to leave a comment and share!