One of the most delicious, distinctive and versatile fruits. Blueberries
have more to offer than just good looks and taste. They're an excellent
source of vitamin A, containing more than any other berry. They're also
a good source of vitamin C; one cup provides nearly one-third of an adult's
daily requirement. Blueberries are low in sodium and high in dietary fiber-
all this for only 41 calories per ½ cup serving! Fresh blueberries
are shipped worldwide by air. Great care is taken in harvesting the fruit
from the bushes. While machine-harvesting is fast and efficient, most blueberry
farmers still prefer hand-picking the crop. Fresh-picked berries can be
packed, pre-cooled and out to you by the next morning.
Most often blueberries start in a greenhouse where blueberry plants spend
the first year of life. Once established, they are transplanted to the field
and often surrounded with mulch, which helps keep the soil moist, control
weeds and regulate soil temperatures. Controlling temperature is important
because blueberries have shallow root systems. Plants are also pruned each
year to ensure high quality berries, excess growth causes berries to be
small, and good pollination is aided by nearby beehives.
Despite all these steps to ensure a healthy, good tasting blueberry, the
effort can be wasted if the fruit is not harvested properly. The best way
to do that, especially if you want to enjoy them fresh, is to pick them
by hand, most harvests the crop this way. Blueberries plucked by machine
are used for processed foods.
Once the blueberries have made it to your local market or farmstand, the
rest is up to you.
When buying them, the culinary guidebook, The
New Food Lover's Companion: Comprehensive Definitions of Nearly 6000 Food,
Drink, and Culinary Terms (Barron's Cooking Guide), says to look
for blueberries that are firm, uniform in size and indigo blue in color
with a silvery frost.
Sometimes at the bottom of the basket you'll find berries that are shriveled
or moldy; discard these before storing fruit in a moisture-proof container
in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not wash until ready to use, or blueberries
will suck up this moisture and spoil.
If you want to freeze blueberries for later use, a good idea when they are
so fresh and relatively inexpensive, put them in a single layer on a baking
sheet. Freeze solid, and then put the frozen berries into airtight containers
or zip-lock freezer bags, and pop back in freezer. |
