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A Recipe Perfect for Blueberry Season from Linda Hargraves

Pick-your-own blueberry season should be in full swing just about now.

So I was glad to see a recent email from Linda Hargraves of Thompson Avenue in East Haven with a blueberry recipe for all of us. One of her favorites is Blueberry kuchen, which is pronounced “kooken” she says.

“It’s a recipe I got out of a magazine years ago and keep making because family loves it. I usually serve it with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream,” she says.

Kuchen is a German word for “cake,” and it covers a wide variety of different sweet and savory desserts. The version Hargraves sent us is not too sweet, allowing the flavor of the fresh blueberries to shine. The vinegar in the crust makes for a tender, crumbly dough that is an ideal companion to any kind of fruit filling, really.

Pantry Staples, Pretty Easy

“This is one of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make and a real crowd pleaser. It can also be made with raspberries, peaches, apples, or strawberries. My favorite is a combination of peaches and raspberries,” Hargraves says.

In this case, the blueberries stand alone, with just a bit of cinnamon to make things more interesting.

There are many things I like about this recipe, including that it calls for ingredients I usually have on hand, and that it looks pretty simple. I was going to make it and bought a big pile of blueberries at the Ivoryton Farmer’s Market recently to do just that, but then I ate them all before I could make it. So I’m going to try again next weekend.

Call First

Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford provides these storing tips for blueberries, for those of you who don’t eat them all at once:

To store fresh berries, “arrange the berries (without washing) on a paper towel-lined tray and cover with plastic wrap. Do not rinse or remove the stems until ready to serve or process. Refrigerate and plan to use them within a few days. Stores well up to one week. Before eating or using them, wash the berries under cool water.”

To freeze the berries, “wash them gently and drain on a paper towel. Dry completely and sort them over to remove any small stems. Place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and set in the freezer for a quick freeze. After they are frozen, place them into plastic bags for later use and storage. Leave half- to three/quarater-inch head room in the bags. When ready to use, remove from the freezer and defrost only long enough to thaw. Wash the berries before using them. Stores well for up to three months.

Bishop’s Orchards is open half days on the weekdays and full days on the weekend for blueberry picking, but the folks there encourage everyone to call their pick-your-own phone line first, since availability might be affected by the weather and other whims of Mother Nature: 203-458-PICK (7425).

Bishop’s blueberry field is located at the main orchard off of New England Road, about two miles away from the farm market. Note that there is construction on Long Hill Road. The field also can be accessed off of Route 1.

If you’d prefer peaches, Lyman Orchards 32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield has started up with pick your own peaches. The fields will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days, weather willing, through September. The 24-hour pick-your-own hotline is 860-349-6015. Lyman’s had blueberries and raspberries as well, in mid-July. As with Bishops, always call first before going.

If you have a blueberry recipe you love, or one featuring raspberries, peaches, or pears (or, even better, all of the above!), I’d love to hear from you! Email me at p.mcnerney@shorepublishing.com or write me at Pem McNerney, Shore Publishing, 724 Boston Post Road, #202, Madison, CT 06443.

Blueberry Kuchen (pronounced ‘kooken’)

Submitted by Linda Hargraves, East Haven

Crust:

1 cup flour

2 T sugar

½ cup butter

1 T vinegar

Mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter. Add vinegar and mix with hands. Pat into bottom and slightly up sides of spring form pan.

Filling:

3 cups blueberries

1 cup sugar

2 T flour

¼ t cinnamon

Mix the dry ingredients and then mix with fruit. Spread on to unbaked crust.

Bake for 1 hour and 400 degrees.