There are a few things you will need to try making the recipes I’ll be sharing in this story: gloves, protective clothing and safety glasses.
Now that I have your attention (or at least have piqued your curiosity) let’s proceed.
The blackberries are coming. Wild blackberries. The brambles with their flavor-bursting fruit can be found throughout the Napa Valley.
Yes, we can buy them in the grocery store, but they are not typically perfectly ripened in the sun, on the plants, which is where you will discover their soft, juicy, lush, sweet, and just slightly tart wonderfulness.
Picking berries can be a fun experience with palate-satisfying results as your final reward. But you do have to be prepared because you have to brave the thick and thorny wild thickets. The shrubs can grow up to 13 feet in height and can also have long canes that lay on the ground. These canes can grow up to 40 feet in length.
Growth is aggressive and some folks consider these plants invasive on their property and go to great lengths to eradicate them entirely. Horrors. Some years ago I was lucky enough to have a huge bramble next to my property up in the Napa hills.
Being able to go out and pick the fully ripened deep purple gems when they were just right, was a gift. The only problem, getting to them before the neighbors did. I can’t imagine removing the source of such yummy goodness.
Getting to the fruit on the outer canes is easy, though you still have to be mindful of the thorns. Accessing the plethora of fruit that lays deeper into the growth takes some dedication and protection. Hence the need for gloves, long thick sleeves and goggles, just in case a cane snaps back on you when you pull it aside.
Don’t assume that just because these beauties are growing naturally that they have not been exposed to chemicals. Common sense should prevail.
My tactic: bribe one of the guys in the family and friend circle to be in charge of harvesting the fruit in the depths, with the offer of their own fresh blackberry pie or cobbler in exchange for their services. I will, after all, be the one in the kitchen cleaning the fruit and preparing the rewards. It has always sounded fair to me.
A member of the Rubus genus, within the Rosaceae family, the name “blackberry” is often used as a general term for a variety of bush berries, like boysenberries, marions, ollalieberries and loganberries. All great berries, but the blackberry is my go to.
Knowing that blackberries are a great source of vitamins A, C, iron, calcium, and fiber is another check in the plus column.
After washing your berries in cool water, try to keep them as dry as possible. If you aren’t going to use them immediately, keep them refrigerated. If you plan to enjoy them as a stand-alone, allow them to come to room temperature before serving them.
These same steps should be also be used for store-bought blackberries.
With their sweet, tart and earthy qualities, blackberries work well for both sweet and savory creations. The acidic balance allows them to pair well with rich creamy flavorful aged cheeses, fattier meats, nuts and or fabulous aged balsamic.
If I happen to find an abundance of fruit, then I make jams, but if my supply is limited I prefer to think desserts.
Using the berries to top some great vanilla gelato from my friends at Frati Gelato in Napa is a simple and easy dessert or treat. A homemade milkshake is a given.
Sauces made with blackberries can be wonderful for pork and duck, even roasted chicken.
The recipe I am sharing for blackberry sauce works for meats and interestingly enough for shortcake, cheesecake, ice cream and almost any sweet treat where you need a little drizzle. Plus, there is no cooking involved. It’s only three ingredients and a few minutes. The color of the sauce is gorgeous.
Whatever I make, I want to taste the berries, so I keep the ingredients on the simpler side.
Here’s hoping you will “mangia bene” with some blackberries.
Blackberry Sauce
Yields 1 1/2 cups sauce.
2 cups blackberries
4 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Puree berries in food processor. Press fruit through a wire sieve to remove seeds.
Whisk in sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.
Told you it was easy!
Jiffy Cobbler
Serves 6—8
1 cube butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar, plus some for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
2 heaping cups blackberries
Cinnamon
Pour melted butter into 9 by 9 baking pan.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add milk and mix well by hand until you have a smooth batter. Pour batter over melted butter. Do not stir.
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Top evenly with fruit. Do not stir.
Sprinkle top lightly with sugar and cinnamon
Bake at 425 degrees for 30—35 minutes.
Serve warm, room temp or chilled.
Fruit and Cream Scones
I have to thank a lovely innkeeper in the Scottish highlands for this great recipe for easy to make and wonderfully moist scones. The heavy cream is the secret ingredient. These scones were a favorite of my Ink House B & B guests.
Serves 12
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 heaping cup blackberries
Melted butter
Cinnamon sugar
Mix all dry ingredients.
Add cream and mix by hand until throughly moistened. Add fruit.
On a dry surface, kneed 2 or 3 times only with hands. Press flat into a large circle on board or dry flat surface. Cut dough in half. Cut each half into 6 triangle shaped wedges
Brush tops of each lightly with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar cinnamon mixture. Place triangles on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Bottoms of scones should be deep golden color.