Blackberry Bliss

Blackberries, otherwise known as brambleberries, brumblekites or lawers, are a summertime staple.  That’s when they’re at their peak: Juicy, tender, and utterly delectable.  But unfortunately for blackberry lovers, they’re famous for their short season and their delicate nature.  So if you’re hoping to get your blackberry fix this summer, avoid the grocery store (unless they carry super local berries – these guys don’t ship well) and head to the local farmer’s market instead.  That’s where you’ll find the plump, deep purple berries, practically bursting with an earthy fruitiness and a subtle sweetness.

Blackberries might not be the easiest berries to track down, but they’re more than worth the effort.  Not only do they taste good, but they’re also good for you.  They’re packed with antioxidants and vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.  Got a stomach ache?  Have some blackberries.  Suffering from a summer cold?  Try some blackberries.  They’re the cure for pretty much anything that ails you.  And they have a high level of dietary fiber, so they’ll fill you up.

Right now, blackberries are all over the city’s menus.  They’re being served for breakfast over at Beauty & Essex in the form of killer  lemon blackberry pancakes with a sweet ricotta.  Locanda Verde has straight up blackberry bread.  Or cool down with a  blackberry and lemon verbena pop or blackberry and sour cherry popsicle from People’s Pops.  Add whole blackberries to your tea at Kelvin Natural Slush or drink your daily serving of blackberry lemonade at Cafeteria.  If you’re out and about, you can end your evening at The Stanton Social with their blackberry lemon crisp dessert, which comes with a scoop of classic vanilla ice cream.

If you’d rather eat your blackberries at home, there are lots of ways to but this fruit to good use.  Keep it simple: There’s nothing better than a bowl of fresh blackberries.  Serve them over yogurt, in a homemade granola mix, or frozen.  Sprinkle them with a little sugar and cream and you’ve got a tasty dessert.  They taste great on a salad, tossed with mixed greens, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, and feta cheese.  Bake up a cobbler, letting the berries simmer and stew in their own sweetness.  Mash the berries up and use them as the base of a great sauce for your next grilled chicken dinner.  Or, if you’re looking to impress your overnight guests, whip up a blackberry jam (it’s a lot easier than you think).  No matter which way you choose to eat them, blackberries are the berry of the moment, so get them while the getting’s good.

Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

• 1 quarts fresh blackberries
• 2.5 cups water
• 3 cups of sugar

• In a sauce-pan over medium heat, combine blackberries and water. Let simmer for six minutes.
• Spread sugar on a baking sheet and warm in oven for five minutes.
• Slowly add the warmed sugar to the blackberries. Let the mixture simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and serve alongside toast or freshly baked muffins. Pour any extra jam into air-tight jars and store for later enjoyment.

Beauty and Essex
146 Essex St. Between Stanton and Rivington St. 
(212)-614-0146
www.beautyandessex.com

Locanda Verde
379 Greenwich St. Between Franklin and N. Moore St
(212)-925-3797
www.locandaverdenyc.com

People’s Pops
75 9th Ave
(347)-850-2388
www.peoplespops.com

Kelvin Natural Slush
Location Varies
(646)-200-5083
www.kelvinslush.com

The Stanton Social
99 Stanton St. Between Orchard and Ludlow St
(212)-995-0099
www.thestantonsocial.com

Cafeteria
119th 7th Ave at 19th St. 
(212)-414-1717
www.cafeteriagroup.com