Abundance of Berries

We do love our berries!  A large bowl of berries on our breakfast table is standard fare this time of year.  My favorite way to start the day is with a bowl of plain yogurt, topped with a medley of fresh berries from the garden and a scoop of delicious granola from Abilicious Bakery.  ( www.abiliciousbakery.com )

The black raspberries are dwindling, although I was able to collect a good bowlful this morning.  There are still some nice plump berries available for the picking, but not much promise of more to come.  We've been eating our fill out of hand and have enjoyed several cobblers and fruity pies.  Plus, I have enough juiced berries in the freezer to make one batch of black raspberry jam.

As the raspberries finish, the wineberries peak.  They are currently plentiful.  These berries make the most beautiful and flavorful jam.  One batch is already stowed away.  I will definitely be making more.  Abi has used some of these berries in the bakery.  Last week she made wineberry scones.  This week she developed a recipe called Berry Buckwheat muffins.  They will make their debut at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market on Thursday. 

Here come the blackberries!  Rouse has developed a bed of the "wild" blackberries just beyond the garden.  Boy, oh boy, do they have mean thorns!  One poked me yesterday morning and drew blood.  But they are delicious, and they do make fantastic jam, so I will put on my protective clothing and wade right into that briar patch.  We also have a few hybrid blackberries.  Their canes are extremely long ... and thornless.  The berries are sweet and juicy, and as big as the first joint of my thumb - yet not too seedy.

Who could forget the blueberries?  The bushes are loaded!  I'm getting a few ripe ones every day, but soon they'll be coming in full force.  By the 4th of July we'll be ready to celebrate the red, white, and BLUE-berry!