It's late August which means from now until mid to late September, it's perfect blackberry picking season.
"But, wait, office fruit company?! Why are you encouraging people to pick their own fruit?!" Well, concerned reader, not only is it healthy to get outside and enjoy the outdoors - which we're all about - but you're obviously going to need to some of our delicious apples to go with that blackberry crumble...
(Also, this vintage 'make do and mend' stuff is totally in right now, just go with it.)
So here's our guide to picking and storing those juicy black diamonds.
- Avoid low-hanging fruit
Pretty much anything from waist height down is a no-no. No matter where you're picking them from, be it a forest, a park, or the back of the garden - chances are some animal has cocked it's leg up on that bush. So always aim high!
- Be prepared
As a child, you'd be scrambling through the hedgerow on the side of the A12 with an empty tub of butter, trying to fill it to the brim. Well now you're an adult, so make sure you bring several containers as too many berries crammed together will result in a box of mush. No-one said you couldn't still scramble through the bushes though!
- Store them for your needs
Blackberries kept in the fridge can last 2-3 days, enough time to make and devour several pies - no problem. But if you've really picked too many, blackberries are easily frozen and can even be cooked straight from the freezer. You can even blend them into a puree then freeze for a variety of recipes!
Recipe Ideas
- Crumble
- Pie
- Coulis
- Smoothies
- Fool
- Jelly
- Gin Cocktail (The Bramble) (for the night-time pickings!)
- Pork
- Jam
- Venison!
Tweet us your favourite blackberry recipes at @office_fruit and also let us know if you'll be blackberry picking this year in the comments below!
Photo Credit: ~Shona Leah
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