Berry Jamboree!!

Loganberry: A cross between blackberries and raspberries, this tart jewel needs plenty of sweetening.    Great in jams, jellies, and pies.

Golden Raspberry:  Fragile to the touch, the "golden" is a honey-sweet sister to the red raspberry.  Best eaten fresh.

Marionberry:  This blackberry holds an elongated shape and excellent mildly tart flavor, even after freezing.

Black Raspberry:  Smaller and a bit firmer than its red sister, this berry is a treat eaten fresh or baked in pies.

Gooseberry:  Because it's so tart, the gooseberry shows off well in baked goods, jams, or jellies.  Try it solo or with other fruits.

Blueberry:  This versatile gem can be eaten like candy, frozen, baked in muffins, or used to flavor vinegars.  Fresh blueberries should be used within a day or two of picking or purchasing.

Red raspberry:  Refrigerate this perishable raspberry right away.  Avoid mushy berries by washing just before using.

Strawberry:  There's more vitamin C in eight strawberries than one orange.  Don't wash or hull berries until ready to use.

Berry Recipes:

"Lemon-Meringue Beehives"

Here's the buzz on this sweet-as-honey dessert:  The meringue beehives can be made ahead and stored up to a week.  When you're ready to wow the crowd, accent the hives with purchased lemons curd and a trio of your favorite berries.

*the secret to successful meringue is adding sugar gradually so it dissolves into the egg whites.

Prep: 35 minutes  Bake: 30 minutes   Dry in the oven: 1 hour

2 egg whites
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup purchased lemon curd
1 cup fresh loganberries, blackberries, or other berries.

Let egg whites stand at room temperature in a large mixing bowl for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Using a pencil, draw eight 2 1/4 in. circles and eight 1 3/4 in. circles about 1 inch apart on the paper. Turn paper pencil-side down on baking sheet; set aside.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add lemon juice and cram of tarter to egg whites. Beat with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add sugar, 1 tbl. at a time, beating on high speed about 7 minutes or until very stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved. Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium (1/4 in.) round tip, pipe a flat base of meringue onto all of the circles on the paper. Pipe a ring of meringue onto edges of each of the 8 larger rounds, building the sides 3/4 in. tall by piping a continuous coil of meringue to form a small shell.

For tops, pipe a coil of meringue on smaller rounds to make a cones shape that resembles the top of a beehive. Bake 30 minutes. Turn off oven. Let meringues dry in oven, with door closed, at least 1 hour. Remove from paper. Place in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place up to 1 week. Just before serving, spoon 1 tbl. of lemon curd into each bottom meringue shell. Place a few berries on lemon curd. Prop top of meringue beehive next to bottom.

Makes 8 servings.

Berry Syrups and Sauces

Raspberry Syrup
3 cups raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch  

Thaw berries, if frozen.  Do not drain.  Place half of the berries in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth. 
Press berries through a fine-meshed sieve, discard seeds.  Repeat with remaining berries.  (You should have about 1/2 cup sieved puree from each 1 1/2 cups berries)

In medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch.  Add sieved berries.  Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Cool to room temperature before serving.  Makes about 1 cup of sauce.  


Strawberry Syrup  

Prepare as above, except use strawberries instead of raspberries and do not sieve.  


Cherry Syrup  

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups pitted cherries
1 tablespoon orange juice  

In a medium sauce pan stir together sugar and cornstarch; stir in water.  Add cherries.  Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the juice. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.  Makes 2 cups sauce.  


Blueberry Syrup  

Prepare as above, except use blueberries instead of cherries and omit orange juice.

Syrup Recipes by: Kathy Doyle