Blackberrying Time of the Year

One of my favourite things about this time of the year is blackberry picking on open public land near my home. It’s a mystery to me why no-one else visits the patch but that means there are more for me! They grow from July to October and vary in size and taste. We have had a fair bit of rain so the ones I am picking at the moment are plump and juicy.

Blackberries are rich in polyphenols, hence their deep purple colour, which are thought to be very good for our guts and overall health. They are tasty on your regular breakfast oats and also can add a bit of flavour to stewed pears or apples, for example.

If you pick more than you can reasonably eat then they freeze well and are a really welcome addition to your diet over the winter. Of course, blackberry jam is a favourite for some but involves too much cooking for my limited culinary skills, however, for those that enjoy cooking, blackberry and apple crumbles and pies are delicious!