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BERRIES
sTRAwBERRIEs: Peak season for these fruity
favourites is June to July. Choose the ones
with a uniform, deep red colour. If the
tops of the berries are green or white – pass
them by. They were picked too soon and
won’t ripen now. Keep strawberries in a
single layer in the fridge to avoid bruising.
RAsPBERRIEs: Peak raspberry season is June
to July. Buy firm, small to medium-sized
berries free from discolouration or bruises.
Raspberries are very delicate and don’t last
long after picking. As with strawberries,
store in the fridge in a single layer and wash
just prior to using.
GOOsEBERRIEs: Peak season is July.
Gooseberries are very tart making them
great for jams and jellies. Choose firm
berries with a slight yield when pressed.
BLACKCuRRANTs ANd REdCuRRANTs:
Peak season is July to August for blackcurrants;
June to August for redcurrants. Too
astringent to be eaten out of your hand but
their high pectin content makes them ideal
for jams and jellies. Choose clusters that are
firm, plump and shiny.
BLACKBERRIEs: Peak season is August to
September. A ripe blackberry should be
extremely plump and taste sweet but with
a puckery finish. Avoid the red berries.
This is a sign that they’ve been picked too
early. Similar to blackberries are tayberries,
boysenberries, loganberries and marionberries.
BLuEBERRIEs: Peak season is August to
September. Choose plump berries and note
that wild blueberries are much smaller than
their farm-raised cousins. It’s fine if they have
snowy powder bloom – it indicates freshness.
STONE FRUIT
APRICOTs: Peak season is June to July.
Choose apricots that are plump and juicy
and a uniform gold-orange colour. Avoid
mushy or pale yellow fruit.
CHERRIEs: Peak season is July to August.
Sweet Bing cherries are dark burgundy and
very juicy. Their golden-blush cousins, the
Rainier, are very meaty and sweet too. Sour
cherries are dusky red in colour and good for
cooking. It’s best to buy plump cherries with
intact stems and a strong, fragrant aroma.
PEACHEs ANd NECTARINEs: Peak season is
mid July to September for peaches, August to
September for nectarines. A ripe fresh peach
or nectarine should yield to gentle pressure
when squeezed and have a heady perfume.
Avoid fruit that is hard as it will soften but not
ripen with flavour once picked. Keep in the
refrigerator up to seven days. Bring to room
temperature before eating.
EASY FREEZE
The quickest and easiest way to preserve
berries and stone fruit is by freezing.
However, once frozen, fruit is best used to
make juices, sauces, purées or baked desserts
since it loses its shape and considerable
texture when defrosted. Freeze fruit that is
for recipes, please see page 116
ripe – not too soft and mushy or too firm.
The best way to freeze berries is called the
“dry freeze” method. Wash berries in cold
water to tighten up the skin, then pat dry
with paper towels. Spread out in a single layer
on a baking sheet until completely frozen,
then portion out and seal in freezer bags.
To freeze stone fruits such as peaches,
nectarine and apricots, remove pits, then
cut fruit into halves or wedges. To preserve
colour, quickly blanch in boiling water,
then refresh in cold water and pat dry. To
prevent browning, toss with a little lemon
juice. As with berries, freeze in a single
layer, then portion and seal in freezer bags.
a feW freeziNg tips
1) Label bags with produce names
and dates.
2) use within 8 to 12 months.
3) Don’t overfill bags.
4) Don’t defrost frozen fruit before
using. Cook from frozen.
5) Prevent freezer burn by
removing as much air as possible
from freezer bags. if you don’t
have an electric vacuum sealer,
close freezer bag leaving space at
one end to insert a straw. insert
the straw in gap and suck as
much air out as possible. remove
the straw and completely seal
the freezer bag.
TASTE 21