FOOD FACTS

Buying and Storing

Look for fairly firm, sweet-smelling berries with no signs of mould or mildew and no crushed berries in the box. Purchase the smaller lowbush blueberries as fresh as possible.

Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator. Use the berries within two weeks, but preferably as soon as possible.

For optimum flavour, bring refrigerated blueberries to room temperature before serving.

Highbush and Lowbush berries freeze well in the same fashion as raspberries and strawberries (whole, in a single layer).

Preparing

Many people enjoy fresh blueberries as they are or with a splash of cream.

Blueberries cook extremely well, and are featured in many time-honoured regional recipes for crumbles, buckles, grunts, cobblers, muffins, jam and even blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup.

Blueberry pie is an all-time favourite. The best pie berries are said to be those of the lowbush variety.

Freezing

• Do not wash before freezing. Stem.
• Pack without sugar or syrup. Place on a try and freeze until frim. Pack in freezer bag. Wash before serving.