millions for free

the_other_mce

Hi -I went out with my two children and assorted 'friends' who live in our street and picked loads of blackberries. We also found damsons and apples. The kids had a fantastic time and were really pleased with the buckets of fruit and helped to make blackberry and apple crumble which they ate after tea!!! Hooray!!!!
We also made blackberry juice drink which the kids loved instead of the usual rubbish they ask for. I was wondering - can you make ice lollies out of the blackberry juice ( I boiled them in a bit of water and sugar)????
Plus any ideas what I can make with the damsons.....?

grahamji

Seen the number of APPLE trees at the roadside! Quieter roads (country lanes)
are best further from road and therefore pollution the better ........ wash em first
and look out for buglike inhabitants. Other than that truly ORGANIC and varieties
you won't find in the supermarket!

malcolmwilliamson

There are loads of blackberries near where I live this year. I went out yesterday evening and came back with a full 2l icecream container after just40minutes.When I saw blackberries in the local supermarket at £15 per kilo I was tempted to make an offer to supply them.

Minimods

I went and picked a big tub last week and they made a delicious Apple and Blackberry pie. I might go back this week and make some Jam

In our garden we have 2 apple trees, a fig tree and a white grape vine, so allways lots of fresh organic fruit on hand. There is nothing better than eating something that has *just* been picked.

Father_Jack_2

dosheroonie wrote:

Hi all,
I live in Basingstoke, which is quite close to the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. Consequently, although there are heaps of blackberries to be had in the local vicinity, I am a bit reluctant just in case they might have been irradiated. Might be me just being over paranoid, so I wonder what anybody else thinks, particularly if you live in the area.

Cheers

I used to live on the Aldermaston Road in Basingstoke - just past the hospital and I used to pick loads round there and i'm still here (do glow in the dark a bit though :-) )

oscarhugo

the_other_mce wrote:

Hi -I went out with my two children and assorted 'friends' who live in our street and picked loads of blackberries. We also found damsons and apples. The kids had a fantastic time and were really pleased with the buckets of fruit and helped to make blackberry and apple crumble which they ate after tea!!! Hooray!!!!
We also made blackberry juice drink which the kids loved instead of the usual rubbish they ask for. I was wondering - can you make ice lollies out of the blackberry juice ( I boiled them in a bit of water and sugar)????
Plus any ideas what I can make with the damsons.....?

Why not stew the damsons & eat with ice-cream or yoghurt - taking care not to swallow or break teeth on the stones...! They're a bit sharp [depends on your palate] but nice & tasty.

Another idea is to make damson gin instead of sloe gin.

Damson jam is another idea [though you'd have to pick out the stones - a bit fiddly!]

little_acorn_2

To save more fruit and take up less space in your freezer:
Put 1lb blackberries (good size bowl-full) in liquidiser/processor/juicer. Strain through sieve pushing a bit of pulp through.
Boil 4oz sugar in 1/4pint water for 3-4mins to make syrup.
Add blackberry pulp to syrup and boil for another minute.
Delicious!
I've found numerous ways to use: dilute with water for delicious drink; freeze some in small blocks to use as sauce for icecream etc; add to gravy for 'posh' sauce for meat/sausages;
or whip up two egg whites fold all puree through and freeze for the best sorbet ever! (you need to mix with fork once or twice while it's freezing).

Minimods

Just got back from collecting some more! Took about an hour or so and I got about 1kg worth...yum

~Jo~

See here for loads of blackberry wine recipes :beer:

~Jo~

Or this one sounds good - no yeast etc required... :T