Cranberries grow all around Northern Quebec; they ripen in the spring and that is when they are gathered. One Inuk told us “it is a very potent berry. In late spring it can peel your lips.” Cranberries are used to treat mouth infections in children. The berry is squeezed inside the mouth and hurts a bit, but is effective. Cranberries are also eaten (sometimes boiled) to treat sore throats or to restore the appetite; “it helps you get ready to eat meat again.” Leaves from blackberry plants are sometimes substituted for Labrador tea.
