With recipes for
Strawberries are covered in a separate section. This article is about blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, gooseberries and currants.
HISTORY
The term "As American as apple pie" should probably be changed to "As American as blueberries" because blueberries, along with cranberries and Concord grapes, are one of the three fruits that are native to North America. Blueberries have been a big part of early American culinary culture since Colonial times when they were used in numerous desserts from buckles and grunts to fools.
Though wild raspberries are native to the United States, the commercial varieties we now see in markets were introduced into the country in the late 18th century.Berries of various kinds have grown wild in temperate climates for centuries. Indians used blueberries for meat preservation as well as for medicines and dyes. First shipments of commercial blueberries, which are larger than wild varieties, began in 1916. Commercial production of wild blueberries actually began earlier. During the Civil War they were canned and used to feed the Union Army.
WHERE GROWN
Blueberries: Blueberries thrive in conditions similar to those of cranberries. The United States and Canada are the largest producers (and consumers) of blueberries, with New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and British Columbia the primary growing areas. Wild blueberries are grown commercially in only two areas of North America, eastern Canada and Maine. Maine produces approximately 98 percent of the wild blueberries in the United States.
Raspberries: Though wild raspberries are a still common site almost everywhere in the United States, commercial production comes primarily from California and Washington.
Blackberries: Oregon, Texas, California and Washington provide the bulk of blackberries to the US market.
Gooseberries: Pale-green, pinstriped gooseberries come primarily from New Zealand, though small amounts are grown in Oregon and California.
Currants: Oregon is also where most of the brilliantly red, tiny fresh currants come from.
VARIETIES
Blueberries: Bluecrop is the major blueberry variety. Other varieties include the Jersey, Tifblue, Blueray, Bluetta, Weymuth, Duke and Elliott. The blueberry is closely related to the European bilberry. Wild blueberries are smaller and more compact and have a brighter blue color than cultivated blueberries. And for many, wild blueberries have a more intense blueberry flavor.
Raspberries: Though now available in purple and golden hues as well as black, red raspberries remain the favorite with four varieties dominating commercially: Willamette, Meeker, Heritage, Amity and Sweetbriar.
Blackberries: Varieties include the sweet-tart Olallie, the tangy Marion, the sweet Cherokee, the mild Chester and the tangy and sweet Kotata.
Loganberries and boysenberries: The slightly acidic, dark red loganberry is thought to be a hybrid of the raspberry and blackberry. The large and red-black boysenberry is a cross between blackberry, loganberry and raspberry.
Currants: They are often thought of as tiny dried grapes, but there two kinds of currants. The one that is more of a berry is a member of the Ribes family, which also includes gooseberries. The most common currant is a bright red with a tart flavor that requires a good deal of sugar to bring out its goodness. There are also less common white and black varieties.
SEASONS
Blueberries: Available from April to October, United States blueberries peak in July and August. The Canadian crop begins in July and ends in October.
Raspberries: The California crop begins in May and peaks from June through September. A significant Canadian crop peaks in July. Chilean raspberries begin in December and continue into May.
Blackberries: Olallies are the earliest blackberry arrivals in May. Most others peak in July and August.
Currants: Red California currants are available from May to June, while the New Zealand currants arrive from late December to early February.
Gooseberries: American gooseberries run from May to August. New Zealand supplies go from October through June, depending on the variety, but most come in November, December and January.
SELECTION, HANDLING & STORAGE
For best flavor, purchase whatever berry you're looking for in the peak of the season or as close to it as you can. And always seek out local berries when possible since they are invariably the most flavorful.
Choose berries carefully, being sure to stay away from fruits that are not true in color, or berries that are soft, wet or sticky to the touch or that appear moldy. Plump, dry, firm, well-shaped, and uniformly colored fruit indicates it is ready to take home.
If the berries are boxed in cardboard or other paper product, pay particular attention to any dampness and/or staining, especially at the bottom of the container. This may be evidence of significantly overripe, even decaying fruit.
In less than a day, some berries can become mush. Once home, remove the fruit from any container, check all pieces, remove soft, overripe fruit for immediate consumption or to be pitched if mushy or moldy. The remaining fruit should be blotted to remove excess water or juices and placed in a shallow plate or pan, covered with a paper towel, and the whole container covered with plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator. Blueberries will last up to ten days if stored this way.
Raspberries should be used immediately while the rest the varieties will last a couple of days in refrigeration.
Don't wash any berries until you're ready to eat them or use them in a recipe. They'll turn moldy and mushy if washed and stored. Here are some tips for specific berry varieties:
- Blackberries should be entirely deep purple or black, while gooseberries should be firm with a lustrous sheen.
- Currants should have rich, red berries; be on the lookout for too many smashed or bruised berries.
- Raspberries are usually the most expensive berries due to their fragile nature and limited supply; under normal circumstances they'll last only a few days once put up for sale.
NUTRITION
A cup of blueberries (140 grams, about 5 ounces) contains 100 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber and 1 gram each of fat and protein. A serving of blueberries also contains 15% of the Daily Value (DV, formerly Recommended Daily Allowance) for vitamin C and 2% for iron. For years, blueberries have been used in Sweden as an antidote to diarrhea. Blueberries can help prevent or relieve the symptoms of bladder infections, act as a natural aspirin and an antibacterial agent, and studies show they can help slow vision loss.
A cup of raspberries (125 grams, about 4.5 ounces) contains 50 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein, 40% of the DV for vitamin C and 2% each for calcium and iron. Like blueberries, raspberries act as a natural aspirin. And like strawberries, raspberries are a strong anticancer agent.
YIELDS
One pint of blueberries weighs about 12 ounces and yields about 2 1/2 cups of fruit. A half-pint of raspberries (the standard marketing size) yields 1 cup of fruit.
TIP
Most berries freeze nicely, keeping up to 10 months in the freezer. To freeze berries, rinse them gently and dry in a colander or on paper towels. Put them on a sheet pan or tray in a single layer, and put the tray in the freezer. When frozen, put the berries in a bag. This way they won't stick to each other and you can measure out as much as you want for your morning cereal, for ice cream topping, and for pies, cobblers, cakes, and pastries.
PREPARATION
If selected and stored properly, most berries need little additional preparation. Stems and tops of gooseberries can be snipped with scissors. Blueberries need to be picked through to ferret out any rotted or unformed berries as well as the tiny stems.
Berries go well with citrus whether in the form of juices or fruit. Berries also match nicely with melons and tropical fruits such as mangoes, papaya, pineapple, kiwi and banana. There is nothing finer at the height of summer than a simple fruit salad, embellished simply with a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and mace are good seasonings for these other berries. So are cherry liqueurs and cassis, the currant liqueur. A topping of some dairy product, whether yogurt, sour cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche, gives berries a nice final touch. Blueberries in particular are very at home in combination with buttermilk in pancakes and muffins.
MADGE'S BLUEBERRY PIE top
As good as my mother-in-law Madge's apple pie is, her blueberry pie (which Madge got from her mother) is even better.
Filling:
2 pints blueberries, washed, drained and picked over
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
(or more if you like a sweeter filling)
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 teaspoon salt
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup plus a few tablespoons well-chilled milk
Toss blueberries with lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Combine 1 cup sugar, tapioca and salt in a small bowl. Pour over blueberries and mix well. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
For crust, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Combine oil and milk in a covered jar and shake vigorously to mix. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour oil and milk mixture in. Form two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger one between two sheets of plastic wrap so it is just large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan.
Line the pie pan with the larger sheet of dough. Pour in the blueberry filling. Roll out the remaining dough and top pie, securing all around by fluting the dough in any way you prefer, or pressing down with the tines of a fork. Make a half dozen slits on top for steam to escape. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar.
Put the pie on a sheet or baking pan (to catch any juices overflowing) and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly. Cover the edges of the crust with foil if they darken too soon.
Cool to room temperature and serve.
Serves 6 to 8.
Sam's Cooking Tip: I've always used two sheets of waxed paper to sandwich the dough to facilitate rolling. Madge uses plastic wrap, which works even better. First tightly cover a cutting board with the bottom half, then stretch out the top half over the slightly flattened dough and roll 'em.
MIXED BERRIES WITH ZABAGLIONE top
This is a perfect way to enjoy the explosion of berries in mid summer. Use any combination of berries, or just one kind. In a pinch you can substitute sweet sherry for Marsala.
5 large egg yolks, separated (see Sam’s Cooking Tip below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
1 pint each of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
1) In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until well combined. Mix in Marsala.
2) Put top of double boiler or mixing bowl over a pan of water so that it barely touches water. Bring water to boil and reduce to simmer, all the while stirring the egg mixture with a whisk. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until zabaglione is thick and fluffy. Put in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally until cooled. Cover.
3) Wash berries just before using. Put into 8 cut glass dishes or goblets. Spoon out a few tablespoons of zabaglione on top of each.
Serves 8.
Sam’s Cooking Tip: For some, the flavor of zabaglione as above may be too intense. In that case, whip the separated egg whites with 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Then fold into the zabaglione, about 1/3 at a time until you achieve the taste you want.