Inspired by Berries

STRAWBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, REDCURRANTS, CHERRIES... AND ALSO BLACKCURRANTS, BLUEBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, CRANBERRIES...ALL THESE "BERRIES" SYMBOLIZE SUMMER WEATHER AND SWEET TREATS. THE PLEASURE THEY BRING COMES FROM THEIR BRIGHT COLORS AND FLAVOR, WHERE SWEETNESS IS OFTEN COMBINED WITH A MORE OR LESS PRONOUNCED TOUCH OF ACIDITY.

Text by Éric Birlouez

Sources: Dictionnaire gourmand. Marie-Hélène BAYLAC. Editions Omnibus. 2014 Encyclopédie des plantes alimentaires. Michel CHAUVET. Editions Belin. 2018. Dictionnaire de la gourmandise. Anne PERRIER-ROBERT. Robert. Robert Laffont. 2012  https://www.lesfruitsetlegumesfrais.com/

Creative ideas and recipes based around one flavor

Although the term "red berries" should strictly be restricted to berries which are red in color, it is often extended to those which are dark blue or black in color (blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants), or even white or translucent light green (gooseberries).

The first fruits of spring

Strawberries are on our shelves as early as March. At this time of year, they don't come from France and are mostly from Spain, but remain fairly... tasteless. A true strawberry over will have to wait until May to taste the first gariguettes, which are elongated and tangy. Other sweeter varieties (ciflorette, charlotte, etc.) are available to consumers. Although wild strawberries have been present on our soil since time immemorial, the first large strawberries only appeared in the 18th century: the result of hybridization with strawberries brought back from Chile by spy and explorer, François-Amédée... Frézier!

May sees the arrival of the first cherries. The very first batches come from Céret, in the Pyrénées- Orientales region: since
1932, a crate has been sent to the President of the Republic each year. Burlats, much loved for their plump appearance and juicy, sweet flesh, don't appear until June. In the world of cherries, there are Morello cherries, which are small, not very fleshy and quite acidic (used to make clafoutis or macerated in brandy), geans or ‘heart cherries’ and larger, firm-fleshed cherries. These last two types are eaten fresh and raw, or in jams and pastries (clafoutis, black forest, etc.).

In France, raspberries have only been eaten since the 19th century. The very first raspberry plantations date back to the Renaissance, but their fruit was rarely eaten: they were cultivated for their perfume and medicinal properties. Today, raspberries can be enjoyed from June onwards (non-climbing varieties) and all throughout the summer.

The berries of summer and autumn

Redcurrants are harvested from late June to August. Native to northern Europe, the redcurrant bush was unknown to the Greeks and Romans, and has only been cultivated on our soil since the Middle Ages. The acidity of redcurrants means that they are rarely eaten raw, but rather in the form of jellies, syrups and coulis. The town of Bar le Duc (Meuse) is world-famous for its seedless redcurrant jam: even today, the seed is removed by hand using a goose quill. In July, the blackcurrant bush offers us its small black fruits with a pungent, acidic flavor.

Wild blackberries (produced by the bramble bush) are picked between July and September along paths and in forests. Bigger and less tart, the cultivated blackberry belongs to a totally different species: it comes from a real tree, the mulberry, whose leaves feed silkworms.

Cranberry and bilberry are two related species. The former is harvested in summer(it is found mainly in the mountainous areas of northern Europe, Asia and America), while the latter grows only in North America.

Blueberries can be picked from late June to late September. Wild blueberries are found mainly in the mid-mountain regions:
Ardèche, Auvergne and Vosges... and have many nicknames locally (brimbelle, bleuet, raisin des bois...). Their taste is far superior to that of the cultivated blueberry: originally from North America, the latter has been produced in France since the
1980s. It belongs to a different botanical species from its wild cousin... It can grow to over 2.50 meters in height and produces larger fruit. Its color is more blue but its flesh is white, whereas the wild berry has colored flesh that stains the fingers.

The Cherry on Top: Health Benefits

The nutritional qualities of red berries have contributed to their growing popularity (their consumption has tripled in the last
ten years!). They are low in calories and rich in minerals and trace elements (iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, selenium) and, above all, vitamins (particularly C and E, which are "anti-oxidants" and help our bodies fight tissue aging).

How to cook them?

Raw or cooked, berries lend themselves to a wide range of sweet and savory recipes. We enjoy them in fruit salads, and use them to make tarts, charlottes, clafoutis, crumbles, cheesecakes, Bavarian cream, mousses, ice creams and sorbets. We transform them into jellies, jams and coulis (to accompany ice cream, chocolate soft sponge cake or panna cotta). They flavor dairy products (yoghurts, fromage frais, cream desserts) as well as... vinegars. They can also be used to make delicious smoothies and milkshakes. Raw berries go well with savory dishes such as goat's cheese or ewe's milk tomme (in the Basque country, black cherry jam from Itxassou is eaten with local ewe's milk cheese). We know that cranberries go very well with game. Strawberries can also be used in a tomato-based mixed salad, with raw redcurrants on a salmon carpaccio, or pan-fried cherries on duck breast.