Blackberries!

[Hyacinth]

Just weighed the container of them I picked last night walking my friend's dog - 1.5lbs and they're HUGE. Sainsbury's are selling little boxes of them, single layer, for £1.86p. Taking two containers out with me tonight ;D

Time was, tho, my first blackberry pick was in early September & coincided with my apples ripening?

[Hyacinth]

[nippie]

Yummmm  :)
Do you know you should never pick blackberries after Oct 9th because thats when the devil pees on them  :(
Well thats what my Mum told me anyway  ???

[greyhound]

According to keef's Dad, it's Michaelmas, so you've been living dangerously ....

:o

[Curryandchips]

I want to go picking this week, to make wine. There are some disused allotments in a park nearby, with cultivated brambles that have of course gone rampant. Normally there are enough for anyone who is brave enough to pick them.

[nippie]

According to keef's Dad, it's Michaelmas, so you've been living dangerously ....

:o

Oooops  :o

[katynewbie]

 :o

Curry..." disused allotments" ???????

What's going on? Endangered species in this neck of the woods!

8)

[Curryandchips]

Part of some plots on another site were returned to the council, with a request to make them into a wildlife site, as they border onto existing parkland.

[saddad]

Quite a variety of Brambles hanging over the hedges of our allotments... can't resist sampling as I walk round.. such differences in tastes... Our Fantasia is just beginning to colour... doesn't usually until Sept... Now Silvan (Himalayan Giant) was an excellent Blackberry that was always ready by mid July..
;D

[Rosyred]

I've made a few jars of jam so far, a cake & and crumble. They are just growing around the allotment .

[sarah]

blackberry cake?
sounds yummy. could you post a recipe for that Rosyred? please

[dandelion]

I've picked about seven kilos. Made 17 jars of jam. We've eaten yoghurt with  blackberries, fromage frais with blackberries, vanilla ice cream with blackberry coulis. I've frozen whole berrries and blackberry juice ... and searched the web for recipes:

Blackberry sorbet
http://www.joyofbaking.com/BlackberrySorbet.html

Blackberry cobbler (seriously delicious!)
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/719/Recipe.cfm

Blackberry clafoutis
http://martindwyer.com/m/recipes/recipe.php?f=001371.html

Buttermilk berry muffins  (baking this later today)
http://www.joyofbaking.com/muffins/ButtermilkBerryMuffins.html


I even fooled my OH into thinking I cooked blackberry soup ;D ;)!
http://www.waitrose.com/food_drink/recipes/recipesearch/recipe/0207080-r04.asp

Well, it is exactly the same colour!

[Tulipa]

Gosh, you've been busy, well done!

Those recipes look good and I have bookmarked them to return to as soon as I have been out blackberrying, thank you.

[tricia]

I was about to post asking for ways in which to use blackberries - apart from the obvious jams, jellies and crumbles - so thank you dandelion. I have now started a bookmarked folder, because this year there is such an abundance of this delicious fruit for the picking :)

[Rosyred]

Hi sarah

I used the blackcurrant cake recipe on this site, instead of blackcurrants I used my blackberries, it turned out ok but too many backberries in and I didn't think there was enough on the recipe.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,22329.0

[Mrs Ava]

Wow!  The blackberries on my allotment are no where near ripe yet!  I shall have to go look in my 'other' secret blackberry places to see if they are ready yet.  I don't normally go exploring until the kids go back to school....looks like I will have to take the little 'angels' with me!

[Curryandchips]

Been out to my secret place today - whew it was hot. Spent about two hours (including 20 mins 'there and back') picking 8 litres of blackberries, weighing in at a total of 8 lbs. Two gallons of wine coming up methinks !

[plot51A]

So pleased about this thread! Last year kept looking at the blackberries thinking "next time....." and of course never got round to it and missed the boat completely  :(, Have been inspired by this to pick my first tub - will be out again tomorrow and there will be jelly by Friday. Thanks!  ;D ;D ;D

[lin]

The blackberries near me are ripening slowly but not ready yet, but when they are will pick loads and I also make blackberry and apple jam, it's lovely but my absolutely favourite thing is....

I pick nice big ones, wash them, dry them and shake them in a lo cal sugar, then freeze them... at Xmas they are delicious to put out on the table in a bowl, like little sugary sweets with a fruity inside... yummy!

Lin

[lancelotment]

Had the fortune to be in London last weekend to see my daughter playing in the BBC Proms and called in at a Waitrose near the Albert Hall.  They were selling organic raspberries for the equivalent of £25 a kilo.  The allotment equates to a bloomin goldmine at that rate!!  Lance

[Mrs Ava]

Nope, Essex blackberries are weeks away from ripening!  Looks like I will be picking them at the same time as my apples after all!