Plump, sweet blueberries are in season. Anywhere from a deep purple-blue to blue-black and highlighted by a silvery sheen called the "bloom,” local blueberries are now available for your cereal, muffins, pies and pancakes.
Joe Reynolds of Love is Love Farm plies his trade at Gaia Gardens in East Lake Commons Co-Housing between East Atlanta and Decatur. He tends a blueberry orchard of about 200 bushes. He sells the berries at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market on Thursday afternoons, and they’re also available to the folks who participate in his community-supported agriculture program.
“Our plants are all rabbiteye varieties. We’ve got several different cultivars and they mature at different intervals so we have the longest harvest window possible,” Reynolds said.
Rabbiteye blueberries are native to the Southeastern United States. The berries turn pink before they turn blue and it’s said that the pink color resembles the eye color of a white rabbit, hence the common name.
The 6-year-old plants at Gaia Gardens are just coming into maturity and should be at peak production for at least another 15 years. Harvesting means getting out several times a week to pick the ripening fruit. Blueberries grow in clusters and don't all ripen at once. The berries at the bottom of the cluster can be ripe while the ones on top are still green.
Blueberries are a favorite of birds as well, and while Reynolds is willing to share some of his crop, he does try to stay ahead of the birds as best he can. The plants are heavily mulched, using most of the 600 bags of leaves he and Love is Love Farm partner Judith Winfrey pick up from surrounding neighborhoods each fall.
How does Reynolds enjoy his blueberries? “One handful at a time,” he said, laughing. “I try not to eat them while we’re harvesting, but they’re so incredibly delicious, it’s hard not to grab a handful and enjoy.”
If you’re interested in picking your own blueberries, the Georgia Department of Agriculture keeps a list of pick-your-own farms at www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/PYO%20Crops%202011.pdf.
When buying blueberries, look for firm, plump berries. Size isn’t important but color is. If the berries are reddish, they’re not ripe and are best used for cooking. They just won’t be as delicious when served raw. Fresh berries should be stored covered in the refrigerator and washed just before using. Use them within a week or so.
A pint of blueberries will yield about 2 cups of berries and weigh about 3/4 pound. A cup of blueberries has about 83 calories and will provide almost one-fourth of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C.
If you’re looking for more ideas, don’t miss the blueberry festival at the Morningside Farmers Market on June 18.
At local farmers markets
Cooking demos:
Thursday, June 9, 6 p.m. Chef Seth Freedman, Ruby Root Connections. East Atlanta Village Farmer's Market, Atlanta. www.farmeav.com
Saturday, June 11, 9:30 a.m. Chef Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia/Quinones Room/Abbatoir/Star Provisions/Floataway Cafe, working with blueberries. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m. Chef Hector Santiago, Pura Vida and Super Pan. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
For sale
Vegetables and fruit: arugula, asparagus, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, cucumbers, fennel, garlic, garlic scapes, herbs, kale, lambs quarters, lettuce, Napa cabbage, onions, pea shoots, peaches, peas, potatoes, plums, radishes, scallions, spinach, strawberries, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips
From local reports
Grilled Chicken With Blueberry Salsa
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 (5-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 tablespoons honey, warmed, optional
In a small bowl, make a marinade by whisking together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt.
Place chicken in a shallow dish or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; pour marinade over chicken. Cover or seal, and chill at least 1 hour up to 24 hours ahead.
When ready to cook, preheat grill. When grill is hot, lightly oil grate.
While chicken is marinating, make salsa. In the bowl of a food processor, briefly pulse 1 cup blueberries until coarsely chopped. In a medium bowl, combine chopped blueberries with whole blueberries, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. If using honey, warm briefly in microwave and add to blueberry mixture. Stir together and chill.
Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Grill over medium-high heat 6 minutes on each side or until done. Cut into thin slices. Serve with salsa on the side.
Per serving:
242 calories (percent of calories from fat, 53), 17 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 41 milligrams cholesterol, 141 milligrams sodium.
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