Normajean of The Unilever Consumer Kitchens with the scoop on how to handle your berries this season.
While many summer berries are available year-round, they often lack the intense flavor and sweetness of locally grown in-season berries. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries taste best in the spring and summer, when supermarkets and farmers’ markets stock fruit harvested at their peak. Look for local farms that offer pick-your-own berries and enjoy both harvesting and eating the freshest selection.
Selecting berries. Pick firm, plump, deeply colored ones. If the berries are packaged in a container, check to make sure that are no juice stains on the bottom of the carton or moldy or crushed berries buried inside.
Preparing berries. Don’t thaw frozen berries before using them. Because they do not hold their shape after being frozen, I use them in recipes for baking and puréeing. When you’re ready using fresh berries, wash them by rinsing gently and quickly under cold water — never soak them as they can become waterlogged. Then spread the berries on paper towels, gently patting them dry, and hull or remove the stems and cores if necessary.
Purée berries for a sauce. Use a food processor or blender. Pour the puréed berries through a sieve to strain out seeds before using. One cup equals a half-cup of purée.
Keep unwashed berries in the refrigerator. Strawberries can be stored in a covered container for two to three days. Blueberries transferred to an airtight container will keep up to one week. Fresh raspberries and blackberries are very perishable though, and should be used as soon as possible. However, if you refrigerate them in a single layer and cover with a damp paper towel, they’ll stay fresh for one to two days.
Storing berries through winter. The great thing about berries is that you can freeze them when seasonal prices are low and they’re at their peak. First wash the berries, remove their hulls or stems and pat dry. Then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze them until they’re firm and transfer them to airtight freezer containers or bags. They are usable for up to eight to ten months.
Now that you know how to select and store summer berries, here are some additional tips on how to enjoy them. They are delicious on their own, sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with your favorite liquer. You can also toss them into salads or use them in smoothies. Or try some of my favorite berry recipes, such as Fruity Tea-Soaked Berries, Pear Blueberry Tart and Fruit Cones.