Blackberrying

Iam64

I’m north west. Blackberries usually end August into September. They’re early here

My favorites are whinberries native blue berries called bleaberries in Cumberland. They were very small in size and crop this year. Probably due to the dry spring.

Thanks Gwerty , I will certainly have a look. They sound like my sort of recipes too.

Greenfinch - I don't know how to forward the recipe here but it's on:
bbcgoodfood.com
I like that website as lots of the recipes suit me: they don't take too long (I can't stand for ages and sometimes make things with grandchildren, and they don't have too many ingredients and aren't complicated).

Blackberries here in north wales are much sweeter this year and have more flavour interestingly the dog is enjoying them too Although as a youngster he ate them when it was a good year. The last two years the blackberries have been somewhat lacking and the dog has turned his nose up at them

Here in the North West blackberries don’t ripen until the end of August/beginning of September.

years ago we used to go canalling. So it was great that if you had a towpath along the side of the canal they would be all picked but we could go across to the other side of the canal, where there was no path and with the aid of cagoule worn to cover body and stop getting scratches but we used to have a walking stick to reach up to branches. Wonderful loads of berries and easy to pick.

Blackberry and coconut squares sound delicious Qwerty ( a good choice of name!)May we have the recipe please.

My husband has been picking along the golf course, filling small tubs each time he plays. I used to cook and then freeze them, but he’s been eating them (after washing) with ice cream.

We went blackberrying with one of our grandsons and he and his Mum made Blackberry and Apple Crumble for his friend's visit. Our share went in our freezer. We might have another blackberrying session with him this week. I've found a recipe for Blackberry and Coconut Squares, a cross between a cake and flapjacks, that I might try as well as Blackberry Jam.

I picked a couple of mugfuls last week, lovely big plump ones. These did seem to be very early, though there are loads more still small and unripe.

Jaxjacky

I love them, MrJ not bothered, daughter found a maggot one year picking, so won’t touch them.
Blackberry vodka it is then!

They're larvae of fruit flies, usually found later in the season. Wash in salty water, then rinse!

We are lucky enough to have masses at the bottom of our garden

I love them, MrJ not bothered, daughter found a maggot one year picking, so won’t touch them.
Blackberry vodka it is then!

I used to pick pounds of them in London but having recently moved to the outskirts of Leighton Buzzard I've yet to locate any nearby on my walks 😥

Maggiemaybe

Allira

Maggiemaybe

I remember us disposing of some vintage ancient homemade wine in our backyard, cautiously equipped with goggles and thick rubber gloves as we were sure it would explode everywhere when we took the corks out.

It did.

We have some home-made elderberry wine in the garage- must be over 25 years old!

No-one dares try it.

Ah, but dare you open it, Allira?

I've got an awful feeling there's more of the stuff lurking at the back of the coal cellar. It's unlabelled, so goodness only knows what went into it.

Not me!

DH opened one about ten years ago, I had a sip, it was like sherry. He shared it with a neighbour, I went to bed and could hear them laughing away in the garden!

I rest my case!😂

Allira

Maggiemaybe

I remember us disposing of some vintage ancient homemade wine in our backyard, cautiously equipped with goggles and thick rubber gloves as we were sure it would explode everywhere when we took the corks out.

It did.

We have some home-made elderberry wine in the garage- must be over 25 years old!

No-one dares try it.

Ah, but dare you open it, Allira?

I've got an awful feeling there's more of the stuff lurking at the back of the coal cellar. It's unlabelled, so goodness only knows what went into it.

When I was a child, we lived next door to a big field with brambles at the bottom. Our mother just used to send us out to pick our supper: blackberries and milk. with some rock buns if we were lucky, bread and marge otherwise.

My mum used to send us out for the day, armed with Tupperware boxes and a picnic, and pay us sixpence for each box. I’m sure she just wanted some peace!

Maggiemaybe

I remember us disposing of some vintage ancient homemade wine in our backyard, cautiously equipped with goggles and thick rubber gloves as we were sure it would explode everywhere when we took the corks out.

It did.

We have some home-made elderberry wine in the garage- must be over 25 years old!

No-one dares try it.

I've just picked a load in Berkshire. Gorgeous and sweet. Also got given a load of damsons so made crumbles & froze the left overs. I can't find Bramley apples in the supermarkets round west London so used Granny Smiths. I've got a bottle of blackberry gin given as a present, it's very nice, potent!

The best ones are over here, West London.The ones on the brambles now are mostly small and dry looking . The sloes are dropping from the trees as are the damsons. It seems to get earlier every year.

I remember us disposing of some vintage ancient homemade wine in our backyard, cautiously equipped with goggles and thick rubber gloves as we were sure it would explode everywhere when we took the corks out.

It did.

Er, no!

Have you not been tempted to even sniff it? 😅