Blackberries - some simple questions

[Biddlesby]

I want to make something this year, and blackberries seem like the good choice for a simple starting point.

Am I too late? I don't think so, but could somebody give me an idea of the best times for blackberries and when it becomes too late; roughly.

As for the recipie I was thinking Blackberry Whiskey - mix blackberries and whiskey and wait for a month or so.

 

[Rebel]

Too late? Depends on where you live. Where I live - Hertfordshire near London - the best is already over. Go out quick and have a look at the bushes.

It's best to pick them early rather than late because they get too squishy, rotten, eaten by birds and full of maggots later in the season.

Blackberry wine is excellent, so is jam and crumble.

 

[Buckshot]

They do say when making whiskey (and I suppose other 'cooked' stuff) to collect some ripe and some unripe (red) berries.
I did this when I made some blackberry whiskey a couple of years ago - very nice...

Cheers

Mark

 

[Slimey]

Hi,

I had my first go at making something from wild fruit this year. My other half got me food for free for my birthday and this inspired me to have a go.

Making a jelly seemed like a good place to start so I went for blackberry and crab apple jelly. It has turned out very well and is dead easy to make.

For the last two days the kids have had it on toast for breakfast and it gets the thumbs up from them.

I'm gonna try some rowan jelly next, it's supposed to go very well with lamb. Also trying my hand at some elderberry wine too.

Simon.

 

[MarkG]

I tried making rowan jelly last year. It came out quite bitter so you may need to use more sugar than you would with normal soft fruit.

Still not to sure about the flavour though, it's defiantly 'different'!

 

[Bumblebee]

In Sweden rowan jelly is traditionally used with venison & elk roasts, and not as a sweet jam.

 

[Toddy]

It's eaten with venison or dark game bird meats in Scotland too, and it's sometimes served with a fatty bird like duck or goose to 'cut' the grease. I know someone who slathers it over mutton too. Rowan and apple jelly is excellent on toast or oatcakes instead of marmalade It's also added to a dumpling, it seems to enhance the spices.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toddy]

Sorry, the thread was about blackberries.
Brambles are worth gathering right up until they go soggy. It's not a good idea to pick them if it's been raining just before, the fruit will go foosty & rotten in hours, and any jam/jelly made from it will go off too, even though it's boiled with sugar. If you check the core hollow, and it's sound, you won't have gotten any maggots in with your fruit.

You can make your own ribena type syrup very quickly from brambles. For each measure of fruit add a half measure of water. Simmer over a medium heat until the fruit breaks up. Strain through either a jam sieve or something like a colander lined with a bit of clean cloth (kitchen towels will do, but they'll take ages) Be careful, any splashes will stain!

To the strained liquid add weight for weight of sugar. Bring slowly to the boil making sure the sugar dissolves. You don't want to boil for long enough to make jelly, just long enough for the syrup to bind and thicken a little. Let it cool a little and pour into warmed bottles. This is good over ice cream or apple pies, makes an excellent diluting syrup and forms the basis for a good cough mix or even a hot toddy.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Bumblebee]

You got me inspired so we went blackberry picking yesterday. Up here on Cumbria there is still quite a lot of them left! My favourite is to put them into a crumble pie, but we have also made a lot of liqueur by putting blackberrys and sugar into jars and then filling up with vodka. Leave them for a minimum of 6 months on a window sill and then filter away the berries.

 

[Biddlesby]

Thanks for all your comments.

I picked 1.3kg of blackberries today, and have found a big jar to put them, the sugar and the whiskey in. Problem is there's still quite a bit of air in the jar so I'll have to pick some more next weekend to fill it up. Should taste lovely though - it seems like I picked a good weekend to do it. Although everywhere was a bit wet, it hadn't rained that day.

[oops]Realised this should be in the lovely grub section really[/oops]

 

[Goose]

Thanks for all your comments.

I picked 1.3kg of blackberries today, and have found a big jar to put them, the sugar and the whiskey in. Problem is there's still quite a bit of air in the jar so I'll have to pick some more next weekend to fill it up. Should taste lovely though - it seems like I picked a good weekend to do it. Although everywhere was a bit wet, it hadn't rained that day.

[oops]Realised this should be in the lovely grub section really[/oops]

Or put more whiskey in!