New Englanders are “pick-your-own” enthusiasts. When autumn waves its glorious color, we drive to the nearest orchard carrying baskets to fill with sweet ripe apples. Late spring finds us wandering fields peeking under vines for red and blue treasure — blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries. Some of us with little proximity to fields pick these jewels at the weekend farmers’ market.
While fresh berries are perfect eaten out of hand, cooks find myriad other ways to enhance them. Piled on homemade (or storebought) biscuits and dolloped with whipped cream. Rained into a bowl of dry cereal or folded into muffin batter. Or even piled, Tuscan-style on toasted bread spread with softened cheese.
To stretch out the sweet memories, there’s nothing quite like reading Robert McCloskey’s classic “Blueberries for Sal” to little ones after slipping a pie into the oven.
BERRY BRUSCHETTA
Makes 12.
These yummy bites of soft cheese and fresh berries, a sweet twist on their savory cousins, make a delicious breakfast as well as a dessert or snack.
Substitute honey-sweetened ricotta or whipped cream cheese for mascarpone if it is unavailable.
Chop the fresh rosemary until almost dust. Do not use dried rosemary.
12 baguette slices
Olive oil for brushing
¼ cup berry or fruit jam (e.g. strawberry, peach)
4 ounces mascarpone, or honey-sweetened ricotta or whipped cream cheese
About 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, very finely chopped
¾ cup mixed fresh berries (sliced strawberries; lightly crushed blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
A drizzle of honey
Heat oven to 350F. Lightly brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Toast the bread directly on the oven racks for 3-5 minutes until golden. Cool then bread; lightly spread with the fruit spread. Thickly spread with the mascarpone or cream cheese or ricotta. Lightly sprinkle rosemary on top.
Pile berries on the cheese and drizzle with a small amount of honey.
ANY BERRY CAKE
Makes about 10 servings.
No one will guess this is not a scratch cake as the liqueur completely masks the chemical flavor of the mix.
A cook can use any type of berries here — strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. Or any in combination. Try to match the preserves to the fruit used.
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup strawberry preserves
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
¼ to ½ cup raspberry or blackberry liqueur
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 pints strawberries, trimmed, halved
A handful of whole mint leaves
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch cake pan or a large round; set aside.
Combine the cake mix, the preserves, water, oil and eggs in a bowl until nearly blended, but with streaks of preserves obviously visible.
Pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Leave in the baking pan to cool on a wire rack.
With the cake completely cooled, use a long-tined fork to pierce the top of the cake in several places. Pour the liqueur over it. The liqueur will sink into the cake flavoring it further.
Set aside a good handful of berries. Then beat the cream and sugar until soft peaks form and carefully swirl a few berries into the cream. Pile the cream onto the cake. Scatter the remaining berries over the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to 2 hours. Garnish with whole fresh mint leaves.
