It’s a blessing of berries this year in Cordova, especially appreciated after last year’s dismal showing. We just tested the blueberries on our hillside and while the worm-to-berry ratio is high, just give them a good soak before you use them. I found ours to be still a little tart, but they are coming on strong!
Recently I made a rustic fruit tart, a recipe from King Arthur, using gifted nectarines, local salmon berries, and strawberries tucked into a soft, spiced custard of sour cream. It received good reviews from my taste-tester. Here’s the link and don’t skip the spices: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/rustic-fruit-tarts-recipe.
I delved back into the Cordova’s Cookin’ 1955 recipe book to see what locals were doing with berries 70 years ago. The surprise was there were very few blueberry recipes and no salmonberry recipes, but a bunch of cranberry recipes. I found one that piqued my interest and reminded me of my Grammy’s desserts at the Sunday family dinner. This jellied cranberry dish was always served on a piece of lettuce, a ploy my brother and I figured was to get kids to eat a vegetable.
Hattie Kamps’ ‘Berry Dessert’
Recipe from 1955
Directions:
Combine 1 pint of fresh raspberries, cranberries or nagoon berries with 16 marshmallows, cut into quarters.
Add ½ cup chopped walnuts and mix in.
Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
Whip ½ jar of Avoset (or heavy whipping cream) and fold in berries. Chill before serving.
In Pennsylvania during berry season, my brother and I would be hustled into the brambles right before the county fair started in August to pick blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with our mother and various other families. It was mostly a playdate for us kids, who were “voluntold” to help pick, but we mostly ate berries. The trips stick in my memory bank for the fun we had and the times the mamas all screamed and scurried us back into the station wagons to avoid a big old black snake or black bear sow and cubs!
The best memory of August though is my Mama’s blueberry crumb pie. This will be my first blueberry bake of the season and it’s what I asked for instead of a birthday cake, it remains my favorite dessert. Here is her county fair prize recipe.
Blueberry Crumb Pie Nan Hunt
Makes enough for two pies
Make a berry pie filling by cooking down berries with sugar and cornstarch. Line pie plate with a purchased or home-made crust.
Topping directions:
Mix together 2 cups of flour, 1.5 cups of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Cut in ¼ cup of cold butter.
Once the butter is mixed well, remove 1 cup of the mix and set aside for a topping later. Mix the remaining dry ingredients with 2 beaten eggs and 1 cup of milk.
Top the berries with the liquid mix.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Top the pie with the remaining crumbs and continue to bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes longer or until the berries are hot and bubbling and the crumbs are turning toasty brown.
Happy berry season!
