If you have a young child, take a look at Robert McCloskey’s beloved book “Blueberries for Sal” and you’ll be delighted that it’s finally summer, especially because it’s blueberry season. And if there’s a child in your kitchen, make sure to grab a copy of the newly released “Blueberries for Sal Cookbook,” the most delightful recipe book of the year. Although blueberries may remind us of Maine, those of us who live in the Capital Region are fortunate enough to have 39 farms listed by the Harvest Connection where we can either pick our own or buy freshly picked, locally grown blueberries. Their high pectin content makes blueberries perfect for making jam. The jam sets quickly and tastes incredibly fresh, especially when you add a squeeze of lemon at the last minute. I personally prefer a 60:40 ratio of fruit to sugar. Pickled blueberries are a delightful option and pair well with game meat or higher-fat cheese. One of my personal favorites is rye bread topped with a triple-cream bloomy-rind cheese, such as brie or Saint Andre, and then layered with a spoonful of pickled berries. Blueberries can also be used to make vinegar, which results in a lovely purple color. One of my favorite ways to use this blueberry vinegar is by making a refreshing spritzer with soda water or a beautiful gin gimlet. Simply shake 2 ounces of gin with 1/2 ounce of blueberry shrub over ice and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel. Additionally, it serves as an excellent base for vinaigrettes, particularly on spinach salads. When it comes to preserving blueberries, freezing them is incredibly easy. Lay the berries out on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then scoop them up and package them into a freezer bag. You can use them whenever you’d like. The Berry Patch in Columbia County’s Stephentown offers blueberries starting in the second week of July due to cooler weather. You can find their blueberries at the Troy Farmer’s Market and Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, as well as at their family farm. Winney’s in Bacon Hill, located just north of Schuylerville, is another popular destination for blueberry picking. Judy Aronstamm, who has been picking her own berries for 25 years, recommends going as early in the season as possible to enjoy the large, juicy, and beautiful berries. She uses them to make freezer jam, blueberry sauce, cornmeal blueberry muffins, and freezes them to use throughout the year. Winney’s boasts over 40,000 bushes and offers a variety of blueberry options. Once you bring your berries home, it’s best to handle them as little as possible to extend their shelf life. Abra Berens, the author of “Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit,” suggests roasting, baking, pickling, or making vinegar with blueberries. She also recommends washing and drying them before freezing to ensure cleanliness. Dale-Ila Riggs, owner of The Berry Patch, emphasizes the importance of washing even pesticide-free berries for food safety reasons. They have developed an innovative tenting system with fine-mesh netting and double-doors to protect their blueberry and raspberry plantings from the invasive Spotted Wing Drosophila. This system has allowed them to produce a bountiful crop while combating pests naturally. Riggs is proud of their solution and shares her knowledge and experience with others through lectures and YouTube videos. The Harvest Connection lists 39 farms where you can find locally grown blueberries. The season is short, usually ending by Labor Day, so make sure to seize the opportunity to fill your pails with these delicious berries. In conclusion, blueberries are versatile and offer numerous possibilities for cooking and preserving. Whether you choose to make jam, pickled blueberries, vinegar, or simply freeze them for future use, blueberries are a delightful and healthy addition to any kitchen.
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