Never Enough Berries
Thanks to some innovative greenhouse-like tunnels on Medina Family Farm in Watsonville, we can enjoy a longer berry season at the Orinda Farmers’ Market. In the past, the local berry season typically began in May or June and ended with the start of the fall’s rainy season.
Protecting the berries from the rain as they ripen ensures a steady production of luscious strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.
Strawberries continue to be a big draw for Farmers’ Market customers. I can’t help noticing the number of kids strolling the market with their parents and a juicy red strawberry in hand to munch on. Baskets and flats of delicious berries make their way home for smoothies, pies, jams, crisps, salads, vinaigrettes and muffins.
Size does not necessarily determine the quality of strawberries, and is a matter of preference. Many large California strawberry varieties still maintain the juiciness and firmness once only found in the smaller berries.
Select plump, dry, firm red strawberries with fresh green caps. I find strawberry flavor fluctuates weekly due to weather conditions, so stock up on the days they are at perfection.
Strawberries freeze well. Simply rinse, hull, drain and place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. When frozen, transfer to freezer bags to store for up to six months. When thawed, these berries are perfect for making smoothies, sauces, ice cream toppings or
cobblers.
Subtle differences distinguish separate members of the blackberry family, but along with their raspberry cousins, their structures are similar. Numerous plump, juicy “kernels” make up the shape of the berry – blackberries are fairly firm and dense, while raspberries are hollow and fragile after harvesting. If you love crunchy seeds, choose a basket or two of raspberries – they are one of the seediest.
True blackberries sport a shiny, purple-black color and range from one-half to one inch in length. Other hybrid blackberries, like olallieberry and boysenberry, are more dusty maroon in color. The vast majority of raspberries sold commercially are red in color. White or golden raspberries are available on a very limited basis, are sweet and mild, and usually demand a higher price.
Berries are picked ripe and ready to eat. Refrigerate as soon as possible after purchase. If storage is necessary, arrange a single layer of unwashed berries in a container lined with paper towels. Top with another layer of towels, cover and refrigerate for one or two
days.
Prepare berries by washing under gently running water just before serving. Hull strawberries after washing to prevent water from getting inside the berry. Drain on paper towels.
The Orinda Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Orinda Way in Orinda Village. More information is available at cccfm.org, facebook.com/OrindaFarmersMarket and Instagram @OrindaFarmersMarket or call the market’s hotline at 925.322.6228.
Mixed Berry Crisp
You can use fresh or frozen berries for this dessert.
5 cups berries (strawberries, blackberries and raspberries)
¼ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons minute tapioca or cornstarch
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter, diced
Grease an 8” x 8” baking dish. Place berries, sugar and tapioca into the dish and mix gently.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to blend until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the berry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is lightly brown and bubbly.
Serve warm or cold with ice cream or frozen yogurt.
