With summer’s heat in full swing, it is a great time to enjoy blueberries. The local season will come to an end soon and even though you’ll still be able to find frozen blueberries and blueberries from other parts of the world, the local ones, enjoyed in their own true time, taste best.
Sebastopol Berry Farm on Ross Station Rd. in Forestville still has great blueberries and if you’re up for a bike ride, you’ll pass right by it on the West County trail from Graton to Forestville.
A more convenient location is Sonoma Swamp Blues,
The stand expects to have fresh blueberries through the beginning of August
a stand just off Occidental Rd. where High School St. ends in Sebastopol. The farm is right there, a few steps from the stand. Located on the edge of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, it is a gorgeous location. They expect to have berries through August 1 or so and sell them in several sizes, including 3 pounds for $20, which is a great deal.
Enjoy blueberries neat, with whole milk yogurt, with sliced white peaches or nectarines, pureed and spooned over ice cream or cooked with red wine, black pepper and cloves, passed through a sieve and served alongside rare duck breast. Yum!
This week’s Seasonal Pantry features three great blueberry recipes: Chilled Blueberry Soup with Burrata, Warm Chicken Liver Salad with Blueberries and Blueberry Chutney. You’ll fine those recipes here.
You can also make a simple blueberry granita by pureeing 2 cups of blueberries with 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup orange juice and enough simple syrup (sugar and water, simmered together until the sugar dissolves) to boost the sweetness. Strain the puree, pour it into a wide shallow container, cover it with foil and freeze it for an hour. Mix the partially frozen granita with a fork, return to the freezer for 30 minutes, remove and mix again. Repeat another time or two until the granita is complete frozen. To serve it, break it up with a fork until it is fluffy, spoon into chilled bowls and enjoy, with a glass of merlot of a favorite sparkling wine alongside.
Just-picked blueberries
