Blackberries
CROWN JEWELS OF THE BERRIES
The glossy, juicy blackberry is one of America's favorite fruits for pies, cobblers, and jams. Surprisingly, the blackberry – so ubiquitous in the wild – is not native to North America. English settlers brought blackberry plants with them to the New World.
Technically the blackberry is not a true berry like the blueberry. Similar to the raspberry, it is an aggregate fruit. Clusters of tiny sections called drupelets, each containing one seed, make up the distinctive jewel-like structure of the lovely blackberry.
COOK'S SUGGESTIONS
Dave's blackberries are juicy, sweet, and tart, and they are delicious baked in pies and cobblers. Add a little sugar, cinnamon, butter, and bits of lemon for a deeply satisfying experience. The richly assertive, pungent, and earthy flavor of blackberries is also well paired with creamy dairy items like ice- creams, whipped cream, mascarpone cheese or ricotta. Try making a regal, low-fat sorbet out of the purplish berries: heat the blackberries with sugar to taste (a little more as the frozen mixture will taste less sweet), strain, cool, and freeze in your ice-cream machine.
HOW TO SELECT
Fresh, ripe blackberries should be dark, plump, glossy, firm, and dry, with no signs of mold. Avoid packages with leaking juice indicating berries are overripe or have been damaged.
HOW TO STORE
The delicate blackberry is fragile andhighly perishable. Store your Dave's fresh blackberries in their original container in the refrigerator and use within two to three days of purchase. Rinse and handle gently.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Blackberries are extremely healthy fruits. They are a superior source of dietary fiber, vitamins C and K, ellagic acid, folic acid (a B vitamin), and manganese. Recent studies have shown that fresh blackberries are a potent weapon against cancer and contain more antioxidants than most foods. Like the blueberry and red berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and currants, the blackberry gets its deep, luscious color from anthocyanins. These powerful flavonoids are packed with the anti-aging and disease-fighting properties that make blackberries also one of the superfoods. Studies have shown that anthocyanins may help against Alzheimer's and dementia.