Blackberries a great thrifty food in the British countryside

There are bramble bushes growing nearly everywhere in the UKs countryside, often full of juicy blackberries and as such why not take advantage of the free food growing on them.

Yes it takes time to pick them but it is great fun to do as well with your partner or children, I have great memories of picking blackberries with my mum and dad, later with I would go out by myself for them and now my wife and I often go together. Afterwards they need just a quick wash and pluck any stems still on and they are good to go. My mum would then make a large amount of blackberry jam which we would then keep in our back place (very cool all year round in there) and they would last all year.

Blackberries usually come into season mid June, August/September is the peak of the season, this is usually when I go blackberry picking, and they can last until October or even November.

Now there is an old superstition in the UK that most most likely don't know and that is that you shouldn't pick blackberries after the 29th September because the Devil has claimed them, via various mean which shall not be mentioned. Basically it just means it is the end of blackberry season at the end of September and the blackberries will start to have horrid tastes or fungus growing in or on them which can make you a little ill.

Personally I don't pick any after the end of September mainly due to my parents saying not to, which has stuck in my head.

Blackberries are a good source of iron, vitamin C and antioxidants so are very good and tasty way to get them into your system. You can eat them fresh, freeze them, turn them to jam, mix into a fruit salad or bake them to make a Blackberry Cobbler or Blackberry Crumble.

 

Do you remember growing up and going blackberry picking for jams and crumbles? But also what is your favorite way to eat blackberries?