Bonkers for Blackberries
There's something magical about wandering through the untamed outer edges of our farm, where we let everything get into a big tangle. Among the weeds, there are treasures. The blackberries! I go bonkers for blackberries.
So do a lot of the creatures that live with us at the farm- the birds, the foxes and the raccoons love them too. I have to make sure to get out there before they do! There is nothing like a large juicy blackberry picked and popped into your mouth while it is still warm.
In the kitchen, blackberries are a muse for creativity, elevating dishes to a level of both visual and gustatory delight. I make tarts and jams but my favorite is blackberry sorbet. Here's my recipe.
Blackberry Sorbet
Pick (or buy at your farmer’s market) a quart of blackberries
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Rinse the blackberries in water and take off any stems.
Heat the water and sugar together until the sugar melts, about 1 minute.
Take off the heat.
Add the blackberries to the mixture ( but do not cook ). Add the lemon
juice.
Let mixture cool.
Whizz in a blender until smooth. Then press through a sieve to gather
the seeds etc. Discard the blackberry pulp.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator in until completely cool, about 3 to 4
hours.
Then freeze in your ice cream maker. Enjoy!
David Lebovitz has the best ideas if you don’t have an ice cream maker!
Beyond the kitchen, blackberries harbor a legacy of wellness, harnessing their innate goodness for a range of traditional remedies ranging from immunity to beauty. Berries have become a symbol of the harmony we strive to cultivate between our jewelry and the natural world. As we nurture and care for them, they, in turn, inspire us to create pieces that capture the essence of nature's abundance.
