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Scientific Name: Rubus spp.
DESCRIPTION OF BLACKBERRIES
The blackberry is an aggregate fruit from a bramble bush, genus Rubus in the rose family Rosaceae. It is a widespread and well known group of several hundred species, many of which are closely related apomictic microspecies native throughout the temperate Northern hemisphere.
Blackberries are perennial plants which typically bear biennial stems ("canes") from the perennial root system. In its first year, a new stem grows vigorously to its full length of 3-6 meters, arching or trailing along the ground and bearing large palmately compound leaves with five or seven leaflets; it does not produce any flowers. In its second year, the stem does not grow longer, but the flower buds break to produce flowering laterals, which bear smaller leaves with three or five leaflets. First and second year shoots are usually spiny with numerous short curved very sharp thorns (thornless cultivars have been developed purposefully). Unmanaged mature plants form a tangle of dense arching stems, the branches rooting from the node tip when they reach the ground. Vigorous and growing rapidly in woods, scrub, hillsides and hedgerows, blackberry shrubs tolerate poor soils, readily colonizing wasteland, ditches and vacant lots.
The flowers are produced in late spring and early summer on short racemes on the tips of the flowering laterals. Each flower is about 2-3 cm in diameter with five white or pale pink petals. The newly developed primocane produces flowers and fruits on the new growth. The early flowers often form more drupelets than the later ones. This can be a symptom of exhausted reserves in the plant's roots, marginal pollinator populations, or infection with a virus such as Raspberry bushy dwarf virus. Even a small change in conditions, such as a rainy day or a day too hot for bees to work after early morning, can reduce the number of bee visits to the flower, thus reducing the quality of the fruit. The drupelets only develop around ovules that are fertilized by the male gamete from a pollen grain.
In botanical terminology, the fruit is not a berry, but an aggregate fruit of numerous drupelets ripening to black or dark purple, the "blackberry". Blackberry leaves are also a food for certain caterpillars.
BLACKBERRY HISTORY
The soft fruit is popular for use in desserts, jams, seedless jellies and sometimes wine. Since the many species form hybrids easily, there are numerous cultivars with more than one species in their ancestry. Good nectar producers, blackberry shrubs bearing flowers yield a medium to dark, fruity honey.
In some parts of the world, such as in Australia, Chile, New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest region of North America, some blackberry species, particularly Rubus armeniacus (syn. R. procerus, 'Himalaya') and Rubus laciniatus ('Evergreen') are naturalized and considered an invasive species and a serious weed.
Superstition in the UK holds that blackberries should not be picked after Michaelmas (29 September) as the devil has claimed them, having left a mark on the leaves by urinating on them. There is some value behind this legend as after this date wetter and cooler weather often allows the fruit to become infected by various molds such as Botryotinia which give the fruit an unpleasant look and may be toxic.
As there is forensic evidence from the Iron Age Haraldskaer Woman that she consumed blackberries some 2500 years ago, it is reasonable to conclude that blackberries have been eaten by humans over thousands of years.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACKBERRIES
Blackberry tea was said to be a cure for dysentery during the Civil War. During outbreaks of dysentery, temporary truces were declared to allow both Union and Confederate soldiers to "go blackberrying" to forgage for blackberries to ward off the disease.
Blackberries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be a cure for diseases of the mouth and throat, as well as a preventative against many ailments, including gout.
The blackberry leaf was also used as an early hair dye, having been recommended by Culpeper, the English herbalist, to be boiled in a lye solution in order to "maketh the hair black".
Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer causing free radicals. A study at the University of Ohio has found that black berries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent.
Blackberry flower. The blackberry is known to contain polyphenol antioxidants, naturally occurring chemicals that can upregulate certain beneficial metabolic processes in mammals. The astringent blackberry root is sometimes used in herbal medicine as a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery. The related but smaller dewberry can be distinguished by the white, waxy coating on the fruits, which also usually have fewer drupelets. (Rubus caesius) is in its own section (Caesii) within the subgenus Rubus.
Blackberries are notable for their high nutritional contents of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid - a B vitamin, and the essential mineral, manganese. Blackberries rank highly among fruits for antioxidant strength, particularly due to their dense contents of polyphenolic compounds, such as ellagic acid, tannins, ellagitannins, quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins and cyanidins. Blackberries have an ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 5347 per 100 grams, including them among the top-ranked ORAC fruits. Another report using a different assay for assessing antioxidant strength placed blackberry at the top of more than 1000 antioxidant foods consumed in the United States.
NUTRIENT CONTENT OF BLACKBERRY SEEDS
Blackberries are exceptional among other Rubus berries for their numerous, large seeds not always preferred by consumers. They contain rich amounts of omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and -6 fats (linoleic acid), protein, dietary fiber, carotenoids, ellagitannins and ellagic acid.
BLACKBERRY NUTRIENTS
Courtesy of Rick Hall, About.com Nutrition Guide nutrition.about.com
NUTRIENT UNITS 1 Cup
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144.000 gPROXIMATES Water g Energy kcal Energy kj Protein g Total Lipid (Fat) g Carbohydrate, By Difference g Fiber, Total Dietary g Ash g MINERALS Calcium, Ca mg Iron, Fe mg Magnesium, Mg mg Phosphorus, P mg Potassium, K mg Sodium, Na mg Zinc, Zn mg Copper, Cu mg Manganese, Mn mg Selenium, Se mcg VITAMINS Vitamin C, Ascorbic Acid mg Thiamin mg Riboflavin mg Niacin mg Pantothenic Acid mg Vitamin B-6 mg Folate mcg Vitamin B-12 mcg Vitamin A, IU IU Vitamin A, RE mcg_RE Vitamin E mg_ATE LIPIDS Fatty Acids, Saturated g 4:0 g 6:0 g 8:0 g 10:0 g 12:0 g 14:0 g 16:0 g 18:0 g Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated g 16:1 g 18:1 g 20:1 g 22:1 g Fatty Acids, Polyunsaturated g 18:2 g 18:3 g 18:4 g 20:4 g 20:5 g 22:5 g 22:6 g Cholesterol mg
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 12 (March 1998)
OBTAINING BLACKBERRIES
In the U.S. Blackberries typically peak during June in the South, and in July in the North. Crops are ready at various times of the month depending on which part of the state you are located. In order to produce good local Blackberries, producers depend on ideal spring and early summer weather conditions. Blackberry Facts and Tips
Black Raspberries, also known as "black caps" are a very healthy food; packed with anthocyanins. Select plump, firm, fully black berries. Unripe berries will not ripen once picked. U-pick Blackberry farms typically sell berries by the pound. A quart equals 1 and 1/2 pounds of fresh berries. Be careful not to over-purchase as Blackberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator. You can easily freeze berries that you can not use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a ziplock bag, removing as much air as possible. Those vacuum food sealers do a good job of removing excess air. The berries will keep for many months frozen without air.
BLACKBERRY PICKING TIPS
There are two types of blackberries to know about: thorny and thornless! Obviously, the thornless are easier to pick, but some people claim the thorny varieties are sweeter. With the thorny plants, you want to reach into the plant in the gaps, so you do not need to touch anything but the berry you are after, avoiding the thorns.
A ripe blackberry is deep black with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. If the berry is red or purple, it is not ripe yet. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries.
Unlike strawberries, blackberries are usually pretty tough and can be put into a collection bucket. Repeat the picking process with both hands. Do not overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down.
Whether you pick Blackberries from your garden or at a Pick-Your-Own farm, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Pick only the berries that are fully black. Reach in between the stems to grab for hidden berries ready for harvest. Bend down and look up into the plant and you will find loads of berries that other people overlooked.
- Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunlight any longer than necessary. It is better to put them in the shade of a tree or shed than in the car trunk or on the car seat. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Blackberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week, depending upon the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel.
- When you get home, do NOT wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling. Pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mushed, soft or rotting berries Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash off the others and freeze them, unless you are planning on making blackberry jam right away. Blackberries are less perishable than blueberries or strawberries, but refrigerate them as soon as possible after picking. Temperatures between 34°F and 38°F are best, but, be careful not to freeze the blackberries
- Even under ideal conditions blackberries will only keep for a week in a refrigerator, so for best flavor and texture, use them as soon as possible after purchase.
SHOPPING FOR BLACKBERRIES
One pint fresh blackberries equals 1-1/2 to 2 cups blackberries (depending on size). Select plump, well-colored blackberries. They should not have stem caps attached. If hulls are still attached, the berries are immature and were picked too early. Avoid berries showing any signs of decay.
When buying berries, shop with your nose. Always pick the plumpest and most fragrant berries. They should be firm, bright, and fresh looking with no mold or bruises. If possible, buy locally grown berries. They are likely to be sweeter and juicier than those that are bred for shipment.
Select berries that are in dry, unstained containers. Stained containers may indicate over soft berries that are not freshly picked. Mold on berries spreads quickly. Never leave a moldy berry next to a good one.
Do not wash or hull berries until you are ready to use them, and refrigerate unwashed berries as soon as possible.
Store them in a colander in the refrigerator. This allows the cold air to circulate around them.
Tip: Remove berries from refrigerator one to two hours before serving. Berries are at their fullest flavor at room temperature.
FREEZING BLACKBERRIES
If you like blackberries in the winter, for muffins, pancakes, cobblers, pies or just in a bowl; just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a couple of quarts fresh or bought a them from a farm stand and then quickly froze them at home. It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a fruit for the winter. Below are complete instructions in easy steps. Your own frozen berries will taste much better than anything you have ever had from a store.
Obtain and use a vacuum food sealer or ziploc type freezer bags for the freezer. The freezer bag version is heavier than regular ziploc bags and will protect the berries better against freezer burn. You will need a pan or tray that will fit in your freezer and a strainer or colander.
- Start with the freshest blackberries you can get. Look for plump, full berries with a good color.
- Gently rinse the blackberries in a large pan or bowl of cold water to remove any dust, dirt or other debris. Drain the berries using a large sieve or colander to remove as much water as possible. You can let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander.
- Spread the blackberries in a pan. If you have space in your freezer, spread the berries out in a large oven pan with a lip or ridge. Put enough on to make 1 layer. This way they will freeze quickly and not be frozen together in a lump, so later you can remove only what you need without thawing the rest. If your freezer is not that big, just drain as much of the water as you can, then put them into whatever container will fit in your freezer. After they are frozen, they may stick together a little bit, but should break apart fairly easily.
- Put the blackberries into the coldest part freezer or the quick freeze shelf, if your freezer has one. Leave them in the freezer overnight, to get completely frozen.
- You can bag the blackberries using a vacuum sealing device if you have one. If you do not have a vacuum sealer, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. Remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. A cheap way to "vacuum seal" a ziploc bag is to remove the excess air from a ziploc bag, put a straw inside the bag and zip it closed as far as possible. Then suck the air out of the bag, pinch the straw shut where it enters the bag and pull it from the bag and quickly zip the bag the rest of the way.
- Label the bags of blackberries with the contents and date, or all this work could be wasted, if you cannot identify them later, or do not know how old they are.
- Put them back into the freezer into the coldest part of the freezer.
- When you are ready to use the frozen blackberries, rinse the frozen berries in a bowl of plain cold water and pick out and remove any bits of stem, leaf, and soft mushy berries. It is easiest to do this in a large bowl of water and gently run your hands through the berries as they float. With your fingers slightly apart, you will easily feel any soft or mushy berries get caught in your fingers.
- To thaw them, just set them in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours. The microwave is not recommended unless you are planning to cook with them.
10 cups Blackberries
1 (1 3/4 ounce) package dry Pectin
5 cups Sugar
Wash, stem, drain, and crush berries. Drip through jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined sieve to equal 3-1/2 cups blackberry juice. Add dry pectin and sugar. Stirring to mix well. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil and boil 1 minute (a rolling boil can not be stirred down). Remove jelly from heat.
Skim off bubbles. Ladle jelly into hot, sterilized containers, one at a time. Fill to within 1/8 inch of top if using self-sealing lids. Fill to within 1/2 inch of top is sealing with paraffin. Wipe rim of jar or glass with a clean damp cloth.
If using self-sealing lid, place hot lid on jar. Tighten screw band firmly. Invert jar 30 seconds. Stand upright to cool. Or, process in a boiling-water bath, 5 minutes.
If sealing with paraffin, spoon a 1/8-inch layer of melted paraffin over jelly, covering completely. Cool 5 to 10 minutes until paraffin hardens. Place another spoonful of melted paraffin top. Till and turn container so paraffin runs 1/4 inch of more up side. Cool 24 hours. Cover with lid or foil.
Yields 5 to 6 (6-ounce) jars.
2 16-ounce packages frozen Blackberries, thawed
2 Cups Sugar or to taste
2 tablespoons Flour
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 cup butter
Pastry (see below)
Combine berries, sugar, flour and lemon juice in a bowl and stir well. Set aside.
Prepare pastry and divide dough in half. Roll half of dough to 1/8-inch thickness to fit bottom of 9 x 13-inch dish (lightly greased). Spoon berry mixture into pastry-lined dish; dot with butter.
Roll remaining half of dough to fit top of cobbler. Place over berry mixture. Make slits in dough or cut into strips. Dot with butter pats and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350°F. for about 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
PASTRY
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2/3 cup Shortening
3 tablespoons Ice Water
Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over mixture and stir with fork. Shape dough into ball. Roll out as instructed above.
1 10-inch unbaked Pie Shell
1 quart Blackberries
1 cup Flour
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 cups Milk
Fill shell with berries. Mix flour, sugar, and milk. Pour mixture over berries. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until center is set. If desired, brown under broiler.
Serves 6 to 8
1/2 cup Butter; room temperature
1-1/4 cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs; room temperature
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries (fresh or frozen, thawed & drained)
4 teaspoons Sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 18 1/2-cup muffin cups. Cream 1/2 cup butter and 1-1/4 cups sugar in large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with milk. Fold in berries. Divide batter among prepared cups. Sprinkle the 4 teaspoons sugar over the muffins. Bake until tester inserted in centers comes out clean. About 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 18
Serve this flavorful blackberry sauce with grilled or broiled chicken or sauteed pork medallions.
1-1/2 cups Blackberries
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup minced Onion
1/2 cup Cabernet or other Dry Red Wine
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 to 4 tablespoons Blackberry Jam or Preserves, seedless
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Salt
whole Blackberries for garnish (optional)
Put blackberries in food processor or blender and puree. Put the berries through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat butter in a small saute pan or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and light yellow in color, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer until reduced by about 1/2. Combine the blackberry pulp, jam or preserves, pepper, and salt; add to the wine mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Makes about 1 cup.
An easy salad that tastes great without dressing. Some people like a bacon dressing or a nice balsamic vinegar on this salad.
3 cups Baby Spinach, rinsed and dried
1 pint fresh Blackberries
6 ounces crumbled Feta Cheese
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Green Onion, sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped Walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup Edible Flowers (optional)
In a large bowl, toss together baby spinach, blackberries, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, green onion, and walnuts. Garnish with edible flowers.
8 Servings.
2 Chicken Breasts
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup Blackberry Vinegar
1/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Creme de Cassis
10 each Blackberries, fresh
Chervil Leaves, for garnish
Rinse the chicken well and pat it dry. Cut each chicken breast in half along the breastbone line. Remove the fillets (the finger-size muscle on the back of each half) and re- serve them for another use. Flatten each breast half with the flat end of a meat pounder until thin.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the breasts, and cook over medium heat until they are lightly colored, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over low heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar, raise the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to a syrup. Whisk in the stock, cream, and creme de casis, and simmer for 1 minute.
Return the breasts to the skillet and simmer them gently in the sauce until they are just done, about 5 minutes; do not overcook.
Remove the breasts with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a heated serving platter. Simmer the sauce gently until it has reduced and thickened slightly, 3 minutes. Add the blackberries; cook 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the breasts and serve immediately, garnished with chervil leaves.
Serves 4.
Razzle Dazzle Recipes: Blackberry Recipes
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Blackberry Recipes
SouthernFood: Blackberry & Raspberry Recipes
All Recipes: Blackberry Recipes
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