This time of year is berry time,
pretty much wherever you live. From May through September there is always some
kind of berry ripe in just about every state.
Of course, the big one is strawberries. Who doesn’t love those sweet, juicy red berries that make shortcake, jams, pies and frozen desserts come alive? Most everyone knows and likes strawberries in one form or another. However, although they are one of the first berries to ripen and get our attention, there are many others that deserve their time in the spotlight.
Blackberries and black raspberries are right up there on the list. These two are probably the ones that get confused the most. Most people lump them both together and just call them blackberries. Although similar, there are some distinct differences.
First of all, they grow both in the wild and also as domestic varieties. Both cultivars make to-die for jams and jellies and star in cobblers and pies. They both are known as bramble plants which are bushes that have thorny bristles that produce deep purple fruit with bumpy textures during the summer.
Even so, they are entirely different fruits. Black raspberries are harvested earlier than blackberries, handle the cold better and are sweeter. The real difference is that black raspberries have a hollow core with tiny hairs and blackberries have a white core and are larger, shinier and smoother.
Both black raspberries and blackberries are packed full of nutrition. They are rich in anthrocyanins which give the berries their deep purple pigment. They are also chock full of antioxidants so they both are good for you. For those watching their sugar intake, blackberries are higher in natural sugar.
Now, here is the kicker, strawberries, black raspberries and blackberries are not technically berries at all. Instead, they are “aggregate fruits” because they are made of drupelets which are individual nubs that together make a whole berry. A true berry is a fleshy fruit that has multiple seeds inside embedded in the flesh of the ovary.
Regardless of how we refer to them, berries are some of the most varied fruits there are. There is a berry for just about everything and use imaginable. Here are some of the more popular ones and their characteristics:
BLUEBERRIES. In the wild, they grow on bushes low to the ground and so are classified as lowbush berries. Domestic cultivars grow on higher plants and are known as highbush ones. Packed full of nutrition, they shine in a wide variety of desserts from pie to muffins to pancakes.
RASPBERRIES. There are two basic types, summer bearers which produce berries once in the summer and everbearing which produce two crops of fruit each season. They come in red, black, purple and golden, with each having its own distinct flavor. They can be preserved by either freezing or canning.
BLACKBERRIES. These are great in baking, making jams and in cooking. They also lend themselves well to making a tasty wine.
HUCKLEBERRIES. These are small, dark berries which are similar to blueberries but with a taste all their own. They are basically found in the Pacific northwest and are the state fruit of Idaho. They take a few years to grow before producing fruit so they are not cultivated for commercial farming. This fact makes them rare and expensive.
BOYSENBERRIES. These look like oversize, unripe blackberries. Rudolph Boysen developed these berries in California in the 1920’s. The crop dwindled because of their short shelf life, they are hard to find and they spoil fast. Walter Scott of Knott’s Berry Farm in southern California rescued a few cuttings from a defunct berry farm in northern California. Thankfully so because, although they are delicate, prone to bleeding and can’t be shipped very far, their flavor is a wonderful balance of sweet and tart.
GOOSEBERRIES. There are two completely different berries called gooseberries. The Eurasian gooseberry is unlike most berries. They are green, look like grapes with veiny and fuzzy exteriors and are tiny and translucent. They are tart, taste like sour grapes and are good for pies and jams. They were popular in the 19th century until they became illegal to grow in the early 1900’s as an effort to curb the spread of white pine blister rust. There are also red ones which are similar to currants.
DEWBERRIES. These are closely related to blackberries and the leaves are used for tea.
ELDERBERRIES. These tiny blue-black berries are packed full of antioxidants that can boost the immune system. However, they need to be cooked or fermented before eating otherwise the alkaloids will make you sick.
LINGONBERRIES. The properties of these closely resemble those of cranberries.
MULBERRIES. These mostly grow wild and can be purple, lavender, black or white. They make excellent pies and silkworms thrive on them.
LOGANBERRIES. These are a cross between an heirloom blackberry and a European raspberry with a taste like both.
TAYBERRIES. These are a cross between a raspberry and blackberry, so you get the best of both worlds!
OLALLIEBERRIES. These just about sum up the berry experience. They are a cross between a loganberry and a youngberry, each of which is a cross between a blackberry and another berry…a whole mess of delicious berries bred together.
Each region has their own favorite berry from wild blueberries in Maine to fat and juicy marionberries in Oregon to dewberries in Texas. Whatever your favorite berry is, now is the time to double the fun by first picking them and then enjoying them in your favorite desserts.
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