REAL FOOD in AMHERST: Summer Berries

As I was leaving the Amherst Independence Day celebration in the village yesterday, I passed one of my favorite road-side produce stands at Frog Hollow Farm.  (Courthouse Road near the “triangle”)  I was delighted to see that he has early raspberries out and available.  There is nothing better on a hot summer day, than a bowl of homemade ice cream with fresh raspberries. 

Berries, of course are the quintessential summer fruit, and nearly everyone loves and appreciates their sunny taste.  But, one of the best things about berries is how easy they are to freeze for year-round enjoyment. 

Since most of us like to have berries available by the handful to throw into a breakfast smoothie or top a dessert, it is best to “flash freeze” them before bagging them. 

So just take your strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries right from the produce stand or backyard, and gently run cold water over them to wash off any debris.  Spread them on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  If you plan to throw these into a smoothie, slice the green tops off of your strawberries before laying them on the sheet.  Now set the sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. (set the timer, if you have a memory like mine). 

After 10 minutes, the surface of the berries is frozen enough that they won’t stick together in the bag.  Now you can remove them from the cookie sheet and put them in a freezer Ziploc bag. Make sure your storage bags are noted “freezer” or they won’t be thick enough to prevent freezer burn. 

I freeze my blueberries in 1-cup increments.  Since I use them for either blueberry muffins (one batch requires one cup of berries) or for blueberry pie (which requires 4 cups of berries), it makes it quite easy to just grab what I need from the freezer. 

If you primarily use blueberries for baking, you may find it easier to freeze them unwashed.  I just scoop a cup of them from the picking basket and toss them into a freezer bag.  Wash them after you take them from the freezer, before using them in your recipe. 

I freeze bags and bags of berries in the summer.  They allow me to enjoy the taste of sunshine and summer on the darkest winter days.  

Feel free to post questions or contact me through our family website:  NHHoney.com

Kathie Nunley is an Amherst resident who feeds her family on their 2 acres.