Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Saskatoon Berries...for me, these are the berries of summers past and present.
Back in the 60's and 70's, living in the northern climes of Canada meant we couldn't have berries all year round. It wasn't as simple to grow, pick, store and deliver fresh fruits back then. So, stumbling upon a berry in the grocery store during January was like finding a needle in a haystack, and Alberta sure had a lot of haystacks!
Many people grew their own produce, including berries and fruit trees if they were lucky enough to have gardens. Everyone geared up in anticipation of spring and as soon as the May long weekend arrived the garden beds were tilled, planted, fertilized and lovingly tended. By June the first berries of the season, strawberries, were ripe and ready to be picked.
I always loved squatting low amongst the strawberry bushes to find those hidden ruby gems peeking out from beneath the leafage, pretty and plump and perfectly sweet.
Did you know strawberries are the most loved berry around the globe? Just think of the myriad ways in which we eat them; jams, preserves, pies, tarts, ice cream, candy, soda pop, smoothies, milkshakes, cheese cakes, daiquiris, margaritas and of course, strawberry shortcake. We even have strawberry flavoured medication so they are more palatable and don’t forget luscious strawberry lips in the form of lip gloss, lipstick and lip balms.
The apple is the antiquated fruit of love but nowadays, when romance is in the air, a chocolate covered strawberry or two can be the fruit of amour. They are a decadent delight and thought to be a bit of an aphrodisiac as well aaaaand, you don't need a prescription for them, just sayin'.
Raspberries thrive in Canadian summers but the bushes tend to get a little unruly when you turn your back for a moment. Since the growing season is so short raspberries don’t waste a minute of that time. They come back with a vengeance every year whether they are cultivated or wild and they are such a delicate jewel in the world of berries.
Once they are picked they turn fast but they are so worth the attention it takes to grow and harvest them. In my opinion they hands down make the best jam and yes, they are as versatile as the strawberry. My favourite way to experience them is fresh with whipping cream on top but, no matter how you like them, they are spectacular.
Having said that, not everybody agrees with me. I have a very close friend who grew up on a raspberry farm in BC. He spent his youth in the fields doing all the things one does on a raspberry farm, from picking the berries to keeping the church ladies moving efficiently along when they came out to harvest every year. It was hot, hard work and he eventually left the farm to pursue other avenues and hasn’t eaten a raspberry since! Can’t says I blame him, I’m the same after overdosing in the cherry orchards of the Okanagan every summer vacation. Now I just need to look at a cherry to feel the pits...get it? Pits? Ok, moving on...
I live in the Fraser Valley in BC where Blueberry farming is BIG business and I love being able to get them locally grown and literally direct from the farm. Blueberries are bright and bursting with flavour. They are chock full of nutrition and they play well with so many other foods. Lemon and blueberry loaf, basil and blueberry cheese spread, mango and blueberry salsa, balsamic and blueberry vinegar. Blueberry pancakes and muffins. Blueberry, wine, gin, vodka. Blueberry sauces pair amazingly well in savoury meat dishes and of course, they are a staple in summer salads and are a terrific snack anytime.
I mean, I don't think there is another food that doesn't get along with the humble but heavenly blueberry. It’s such a simple little miracle of nature that is loved by most everyone. Did you know when you freeze blueberries they actually become even more beneficial to your health than when eaten fresh? I know, right?
Blackberries are like the king of berries. Their size can be quite impressive, and they truly are a magnificent colour. These regal fruits are deep and dark and definitely majestic as far as berries go. It’s a bit of a pity that they aren't as abundant across the entire country as they grow wild everywhere in Southern BC and Atlantic Canada. What a treat it is to be on the golf course hunting down that elusive lost ball amongst the stinging nettles and brambles while indulging in fresh blackberries right off the bush. Unless of course, the black bears are out meandering along snacking on them as well, yikes! It wouldn't be surprising if those bears are also helping themselves to our golf balls - after all, they do have first pick of these exquisite berries.
If you can't get out to pick blackberries or you don't live in an area where they grow, make sure you grab some at the market when they're in season. They are a bit pricey but so worth it. I had a salad this past weekend loaded with blackberries, each one exploding with a taste of sunshine in every one of them.
Gooseberries are like the quirky cousin of summer berries and for some reason some folk go crazy for them. They resemble grapes with almost translucent lines that run around the whole berry and they can be green or red. The skin is thick and taut and has a snappy crunch when you bite into them. If you like sour then whoa Mamma, pucker up! They are suck in those cheeks, squint the eyes and shake your head super duper sour and personally, I'd leave them for the geese but I don't think even they would eat them. Gooseberries are usually used in making jams and preserves and even wine. Our tastebuds are such a unique thing and mine definitely don't vibe with gooseberries.
Apparently, there are some varieties of gooseberries that can be a bit sweeter than the familiar green ones. I’ve rarely seen any of them in the stores as they are very difficult to machine harvest so they are usually left for the birds and the bears and the most adventurous connoisseurs. As I always say, you do you.
Have you ever had Saskatoon berries? Now they are a treat. They are slightly smaller than blueberries and have a bit of a sweet and nutty taste that packs a perfect little punch of yumminess. They can be utilized in exactly the same way as the blueberry but, they are a little more special to me then just a food source.
Every summer myself and my siblings, mom, aunties and cousins would head out with Gran and Grandpa down to the banks of the North Saskatchewan river in Edmonton where we would pick berries until our teeth, tongues, fingers and clothes were as purple as the berries themselves.
It wasn't exactly a walk in the park battling those sneaky mossie bombers swooping in to snack on us while we were busy munching on berries and trying to fill our ice cream buckets and our bellies at the same time. We maneuvered through those bushes under the scorching summer sun, and by the end of the day, we'd be all scratched up, bitten by mosquitoes, sunburnt, and totally satiated.
Once our pails were full to overflowing we would head to my Aunty's house, get cleaned up, eat corn on the cob and barbecued hotdogs, wash it all down with Pop Shoppe pop and to end the meal, indulge in more Saskatoon berries hidden under mounds of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream came in the very pails we used for berry picking and we always tried to empty another one for next time.
All the berries of summer were so beautiful but they were short lived and unless you froze, jarred, canned or baked them, you didn’t get any again until the next summer. Today, berries are delivered from all over the world and consequently available almost all year round, which is wonderful but, they just are not the fresh, sweet, juicy berries I grew up with.
By the time they get to our produce aisle they are loosing their freshness, their nutritional value and their flavour. Often, unless you buy strictly organic, they are contaminated with pesticides and herbicides and have been grown in soil that is no longer nutrient dense. Sadly, our healthy produce is not as healthy as it once was and unfortunately, most people cannot afford organic pricing as it requires an A1 credit score, a mortgage amortized over twenty five years and the giving up of your first born as a down payment.
Fortunately, all is not lost as we can remove much of the nasties when we wash them. Pssst, you have to wash your produce whether they are organic or not. Although we can't wash away anything that's been absorbed into the whole berry at least from the outside they are as “clean” as we can get them.
We also have frozen berries in the grocer's freezers that are just as nutritious and versatile as fresh berries and of course we can jar, can, bake and freeze them ourselves. That may be the least expensive and healthiest option as you’ll know exactly what you are eating when you DIY your own berries.
I have very fond memories of my childhood and those berry picking days. Every summer as I sit down to savour the berries of my youth I tend to reminisce a little. I don't get Saskatoon berries here but that's ok, I’m still reminded of those halcyon days.
Our memories are selective and when it comes to mine I choose to “pick” the best of those languid, happy summers when the biggest worry I had was trying to keep up with the older kids, wondering how many mosquito bites I was going to have and, was one going to bite my butt when I had to pee in the bush?
Life wasn’t always easy on the daily but, there were definitely wonderful moments. I can never fault my parents, grandparents or aunts and uncles for not providing us with as much goodness as they could.
All these years later I can smell the muddiness of the river, hear the busyness of buzzing insects, feel the trickle of sweat on my back in the hottest hours of the day and the annoying itch of those tiny prickles and bumpy bug bites. But mostly, I can taste the sweetness of those berries as they popped inside my mouth, like natural pop rocks, and a little of the warm, syrupy juice escaping and running down my chin. Those are the memories my family gave me to make. I'd say they certainly did their berry best.
Love Kiki,
xoxo
“Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit.” — Anton Chekhov
Photo from The Saskatoon Farm
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