BLACKBERRY TIME

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 143, 20 March 1942, Page 22

BLACKBERRY TIME

LACKBERRY time always B means jolly picnics in the sunshine-strenuous but not less happy for all that. One comes home sunburned and _ scratched and tired-but not weary. The blackberries grow wild and free for all who make the effort to pick them, and as the old saying tells us-‘"there is no pleasure without pain". They have a special "lure", haven’t they?-enticing one on and on, for there is always a specially good patch just round the corner. All the family can join in this fun-even the little ones go off with small billies, and often come back with ‘more blackberries than the sister and her boyfriend! Very often Mother has to get to work and cook the berries as soon as she has got home and had supper, if she thinks they won't keep until next day. For jam, try to have some under-ripe blackberries mixed with the others; they help it to set. Blackberry and Apple Jam (seedless) To one gallon of blackberries allow 3 Ibs. of green apples. Have some of the

blackberries still red, and simmer them to a pulp with just about 2. breakfast cups of water, ur less if the berries are fairly ripe. Strain through a muslin bag without squeezing. Cut up the unpeeled and uncored apples, and boil them to a pulp, with just barely enough water to start them, and strain and press through a colander. Mix the two strainings together, and to every pint of juice add 3% lb. of sugar. The apple pulp helps the jam to set. Boil till it will set when tested on a cold plate. The juice of one or two lemons is an improvement. Blackberry Wine This recipe comes from "Ivy of Patumahoe" whg had it from her mother. The family have made it every year, and i. never fails. Put any quantity of blackbépries in a wooden or stone vessel, crush them, and cover well with water. The water may be boiling or cold. Stir often for a few hours, cover with a light cloth, and leave for 3 or 4 days. Strain off the liquid, and to every gallon add 3% Ibs. of sugar. Put into a keg or stone jar, but do not quite fill, keeping some liquid in a jug for adding after every skimming, to keep the quantity the same. It will work for about 2 or 3 weeks. Skim daily, adding liquid each time. Keep a a piece of muslin over the keg. When it has finished working, cork or bung lightly, gradually tightening the bung daily. The keg must not be moved. Bottle it in 6 months, although it is better left 12 months...

Creamed Blackberries , Peel and slice 2 or 3 large cooking apples, and stew them with a pound of ripe blackberries and a+: little sugar. When soft, rub through a strainer. Put some lemon rind in to flavour when cooking. Soak a tablespoon of powcred gelatine in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Make a custard with one egg beaten with a little sugar, and a breakfast cup of milk; just heat and stir till thickened, but do not boil: A pinch of cornflour in a custard like this helps to thicken it without curdling. Finally, mix together the strained blackberry and apple pulp, the dissolved gelatine, and the custard, turn into a wetted mould, and leave to set. Blackberry Cobbler This comes from a loyal link in the Daisy Chain. Cook 3 cups of blackberries in 1 cup of water, the juice of a lemon, and sugar to taste. When cold, put into a pie-dish, sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons each of sugar and flour, and add a dab of butter. Then cover with a good shec: of pastry, or with crushed biscuits, or sponge cake crumbs, dab with more butter, and cook in a good oven 20 to 30 minutes. Blackberry and Elderberry Jam This jam is equal to blackcurrant, \ery cheap, and should keep for twelve months. Take equal quantities of blackberries and elderberries, remove the stalks, and put them in a preserving p. 1. Squeeze them slightly, bring slowly to the boil, and boil for 20 minutes. Allow % Ib. sugar to each 1 Ib. of fruit.

Put sugar on a dish, and warm in the oven before adding to the jam. Bring to the boil again, and boil about 20 minutes, or till it will set when tested on a plate. Blackberry Chutney Cook for one hour, the following ingredients. One pound of peeled and sliced cooking apples 6 medium sized chopped onions 3 lbs. of blackberries; 3 oz. of salt; 1 oz. of mustard; 1 oz. of ground ginger; 1 teaspoon powdered mace; ¥%4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; and 1 pint of vinegar. Then add 1 Ib. of

sugar, and continue cooking slowly for another hour. Rub through a fine sieve with a wooden spoon, and put into dry glass bottles Blackberry Vinegar Allow one pint of vinegar to each quart of blackberries. Pack the prepared fruit into a stone jar, and fill up with the vinegar. Cover and leave for four days, then strain without squeezing the fruit. Measure, arid for each pint of liyuid allow one pound of sugar. Boil sugar and liquid for’ twenty minutes, skimming carefully, and bottle when cold. This is a good drink for winter colds. Blackberry and Marrow Jam Take equal quantities of marrow and blackberries; and to each pound of the mix.ure, allow % Ib, of sugar. Cut the marrow into dice, putin preserving pan with the blackberries, and a little water, and bring slowly to the boil. Add the warmed sugar, dissolve it well, and boil till a little will set when tested on a cold plate. (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) Blackberry and Apple Jam Take equal quantities of berries and sour apples. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Add just enough water to prevent burning. Boil all about 30 minutes. Add 3% Ib. sugar to each pound of fruit, and boil rapidly until it will set when tested on a cold plate. Bottle as usual. Blackberry Charlotte One pound of blackberries; the juice of 1 lemon; 2 oz. sugar; 1 tablespoon of water; and some breadcrumbs. Butter a pie-dish, and sprinkle it, well with breadcrumbs. Fill with alternate layers of fruit and breadcrumbs. Heat the remainder of the ingredients, and pour over the mixture. Bake in a moderate oven about 1% hours, and turn out on to a flat dish.