Berries, Berries Everywhere
It is berry season! I just finished gathering wine berries which grow all along the dirt road where I live. I have been picking them on every hike, walk, saunder along the river. they have been everywhere in abundance this year. Now, the blackberries are taking over the spotlight with wild blueberries right behind them. My strawberry patch is still providing enough strawberries every morning for my granola. I am in berry heaven. Following is an idea from my book that is fun and makes for a variety of usses for all the berries. Doesn’t matter which kind.
BERRIES & HERBS
Pick wild berries, or get them from your local farmer’s market. If you have fragrant leaves such as Rose Geranium, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Balm, Mint, or Lavender make an infusion with one type of these leaves by removing just the leaves from the plant, rinse thoroughly and add to water. The amount depends on the amount of berries you have picked, approximately ¼ cup liquid to 1 ½ cups berries.
Use plenty of leaves for flavoring. Add raw sugar, honey, or agave according to how sweet you like things, and simmer these leaves in the sweetened water for about 20 minutes.
Strain out leaves and continue to simmer until liquid has slightly thickened. Let cool to warm temperature and pour over bowl of berries and let cool.
You can make several flavors and then freeze this mixture in batches for smoothies, or indulge in berry desserts for the summer such as berry crepes, berry shortcakes, berries with yogurt, the list is endless.
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