Wakefield Inn

I just love blueberries of any kind; high bush, low bush, wild or cultivated.  There are many in New England that are very particular about their berries, I think that each have their own redeeming qualities, and shine in different ways.  The high bush or cultivated kind are easy to pick, easy to freeze, last longer when fresh (that is if you do not eat them all real quick) and make great sauces and jams.  The wild blueberries are fantastic in muffins, scones, pancakes and any application where you do not want to get a large cooked berry squishing out. They do freeze well as long as they are not handled much before hitting the freezer, though they tend to have a shorter fresh storage life.

These days the buzzword in healthy eating is ‘antioxidants’ and blueberries are loaded with them. They are also high in vitamin C and fiber.  Another wonderful thing about these blue gems is that they are high in pectin which is a natural thickener, so when baking pies use less cornstarch or flour, because once cooled the pectin gels.  Pectin is what is added to jelly and jam to aid in the giving it the right consistency.

This weekend in the restuarant I have a Blueberry -Peach Cobbler for a dessert choice and also a Blueberry Balsamic Sauce for a pork tenderloin.  This sauce would also be great over duck or even venison.  The sauce is a simple one to make and stores well for a few weeks due to the acidity of the vinegar.

1 pint Bluberries, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon allspice.  Place in heavy non-reactive saucepan over medium heat and cook until the berries start to burst, then turn to low.  Cook for 1/2 hour then stir in about 1 tablespoon of butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Great sauce for duck, pork or even venison.  Serve with a creamy polenta and a seasonal vegetable.  Enjoy the season…..next up APPLE PICKING!!!!!!

Tags: blueberry picking, breakfast, food allergy, Kids activites, Lakes Region Activities, recipe, seasonal fruit

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at 1:26 am and is filed under Seasonal Activities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.