Pick of the Week - Blackberries
Dave's Pick of the Week
“Just a few years ago, we only had the traditional wild varieties and the season was 4 or 5 short weeks late January to early March. Forward to today, we have fabulous, sweet, juicy plump varieties nearly twelve months of the year. Blackberries are now around twenty five percent of our berry category.Many of the commercial farms now have thornless varieties which makes the harvest far less problematic. They become more popular every year and sales will soon equal strawberry sales! They are really plentiful this week, so make sure to look for a bargain in your local HFM store.”-David HarrisHOW TO PICK:Look for plump, firm, fully blackberries.
HOW TO STORE:To store blackberries, put them in a shallow container and place them in a cool spot or in the refrigerator as soon as you can after picking. Fresh blackberries are very perishable and should be eaten or frozen with two or three days of picking.Blackberries freeze well, and frozen berries can be used for making ice creams, sherbets, pies or dessert sauces. To freeze them, just arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or two, then pour the frozen berries into a large plastic bag or container. Frozen, they'll keep for as long as 10 months.
