Blackberry Season

It is blackberry season here in British Columbia.  The only blackberries I've been exposed to in my Prairie life are those expensive baskets at the store of often sour blackberries that have been picked too early.  Still, with a good dose of sugar they're delicious with milk in a bowl.  Well, here in Victoria British Columbia we're in blackberry heaven!  I had no idea that these berries grow everywhere, and I mean e-ver-y-wher-re.  On the side of the highway.  In ditches.  By schools and other institutions.  In Regional and Provincial Parks.  

 

When ready, the berries almost fall off the branches and they are sweet, succulent, perfect in every way. It's a love affair with the tastebuds.

Our kids now know to leave a berry alone if it takes even a bit of prodding to get it off.  And when we announce that we're going to pick blackberries, everyone knows exactly what to wear.  Long sleeves. Long pants. Socks. Hair pulled back.

The bushes are thorny much like rose bushes.  Picking is not easy if you don't have sturdy gloves to maneuver the branches.  We bring the branches to kid level so little C can have at 'er.  The first time we went, we brought a ladder 'cause nothing is more frustrating than looking at bunches of ripe berries just out of reach.  People walking by were commenting on what "serious" pickers we were....hah!  If only they knew that we're really just a bunch of Prairie newbies who didn't really have a clue!

Mmmm...can't you just taste them?

 

I try to freeze at least a few before the entire bucket gets gobbled up.  I spread them on a cookie sheet, pop them in the freezer then put them in a ziplock bag.  This prevents them from sticking together.

But mostly they get eaten fresh.  Delicious in a bowl with milk.  Amazing in spinach salad with candied nuts and sesame dressing.

I love the deep purple hue of this blackberry-banana smoothie.  (1 banana, 1 cup blackberries, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp ground almonds and 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup).

 

 Beautiful in a bowl of morning oatmeal (my oatmeal consists of 1/2 cup large flake oats and 1 Tbsp each of wheat germ, chia seed, hemp seed and flax seed).

G made this blackberry sauce for our waffles yesterday.

And do you remember our sweet neighbors?  Well, yesterday these 2 gifts were sitting on the fence for us.  It was a delightful surprise, especially for the kids.  Fresh, still warm, jam and syrup.  The syrup in M's words is, "to die for!!".