Berry Berry Good

Berry season is in fully swing. Those first sweet nuggets of nature designed to deliver much needed energy after a long, dark season. But wait! Do you know that what we typically refer to as “berries” aren’t really berries at all?Most of the fruits referred to as berries aren’t botanically berries but aggregate fruits which are produced from a single flower and multiple ovaries. True berries are fruits produced from a single flower with one ovary. Technically, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, squash and such are berries. The only true berries we consider as fruits are currents, pomegranates, grapes, cranberries and blueberries.The bramble fruits—blackberries and raspberries—showing up at market are grown from thorny canes that flower and bear aggregates of drupelets. A drupelet is one of those tiny bubbles of flavorful flesh. Similar to fruits called drupes, which include peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries and olives, the fruit contains seeds, or a pit surrounded by flesh covered in a thin skin.Whatever you want to call them, their abundance at market are a true sign that the summer season has arrived.While many of the pints and quarts never make it past the parking lot or are consumed on the drive home if not stashed out of reach, stocking up and preserving are easier than pie (that’s a great idea, too!). My personal philosophy is the three-box rule—one for eating outright, one for cooking and one for freezing so on those wintery days in January and February I can pull out a handful to go with my yogurt as a reminder that before I know it berry season will again roll around.Berries hold up well to freezing. Simply wash, dry, spread on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. When the berries are frozen, pop them in an airtight bag or container.With Independence Day approaching, nothing beats a berry pie for holiday celebrations. And if you’re intimidated by making a pie crust, there are grunts, buckles, crumbles, cobblers and brown Betty to try. These are basically crustless fruit desserts, some cooked in the oven and others on top of the stove.But berries aren’t only for sweets. There are plenty of savory ideas for berries as well. One of my favorite recipes includes sautéing blackberries to go over lamb chops. Sour cherries pair well with roasted pork and I’m certainly not going to complain if someone tosses blueberries into my salad.For those who want something unique for happy hour, try infusing one of the many spirits from one of the several Maryland distilleries who visit Central Farm Markets. Simply wash and dry two cups of berries and add to three cups of your favorite alcohol in a glass jar with a lid. Set in a cool, dark spot for a few days and then strain the fruit from the liquid. One recipe I read called for tossing out the fruit—sacrilege! Top your favorite ice cream (I’d vote for Rock Hill’s ginger ice cream) with that boozy fruit for an adult dessert.Whatever you do, remember to get to the markets early. Berry season is fleeting, with strawberries practically over. Last week all the fruit vendors had lines and the berries were gone before noon.