very berry-licious

In the middle of a rainy winter one can long for the delicious taste of summer's berries. I look out at the now dormant Himalayan blackberry bushes that are forever trying to creep into our backyard and wonder what next summer's crop will be like. During the summer months we are always popping the ripe fruit in our mouths, while cursing and cutting back the advancing vines that attack back with their numerous large thorns.

Close on the heels of the blackberries are the strawberries' luscious fruit. Or should I say fruits? I remember learning in Botany class many decades ago that what we call a single strawberry is actually an aggregate of many small fruits, with each one having a seed called an achene. The yummy flesh is actually a receptacle for all these fruits. Any way you slice it, there is no doubt that they are one of life's pleasures.

Last summer we took some time away from our remodeling chores to visit a local blueberry farm in the nearby town of Dora, Oregon. It was a hot day and we crouched in the shade of the large bushes picking pounds of the wonderful berries.

Once home, I rinsed and dried off our bounty so I could freeze much of it for later munching.

We are still enjoying these morsels of sunshine.

We even enjoy the berries still frozen on occasion. During the late fall we were blessed with some wonderfully warm, dry weather and enjoyed the blueberries still frozen atop lime sherbet.

Now is the season of the tart cranberry. Our local produce market gets these beauties from nearby Bandon, Oregon. They are chockfull of vitamin C and weigh heavy into the seasonal dishes of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I like to make a simple recipe for whole cranberry sauce to eat with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. It also pairs well with other poultry, game, pork and ham. Recipe follows:

Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (approx. 12-oz bag)

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Add cranberries; return to full boil; cook five minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into container; cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Yields 3 cups.