Something About Berries

Humans have long had a love affair with berries—both wild and cultivated—for their deliciousness, versatility and beauty. Native Americans first used berries in tincturesto treat pain, heart ailments and infections, and they mayhave even invented the first energy bar known to man—a nutrient-densefood called pemmican made from protein (most likelyfrom elk, deer or bison), animal fat and the ever-present berry.Today, we have the privilege of easily picking up multiple varietiesof seasonal berries from our markets, or harvesting them fromwild patches all around Central Texas.

Yes, there can be apprehension and confusion about eatingwild berries. Many, like elderberry and white mulberry, are toxicwhen unripe, yet perfectly edible when ripe, and some, like dewberriesand cloudberries, grow almost exclusively in the wild andmay not look familiar when encountered. But ask any Texan andthey’ll most likely tell you there’s nothing quite like the taste of awarm, wild dewberry fresh from the vine; well worth the work ofpicking and the risk of encountering chiggers, snakes and thorns.Other native wild berries worthy of a day of picking are tart andearthy agarita berries, dark and sometimes bitter huckleberriesand the prolific mulberry (although not considered a “true” berryby some standards).

Due to the vast landscape, varying hardiness zones and multiplemicroclimates here in the Lone Star State, we’re lucky enoughto enjoy strawberries grown in the Hill Country west of Austin,blackberries in northern counties near Dallas and blueberries inthe acidic soils of East Texas. Feel free to swap out any berry inthe following recipes—there is seemingly no end to the versatilityand simple heavenly deliciousness of the berry.

BLUEBERRY-BAY SHRUB SYRUP

Making fruit shrubs, also known as drinking vinegars, is simply an old-fashioned means of preserving fruit, and a popular route to a lovely modern cocktail. Feel free to swap the bay out for fresh basil, Mexican mint marigold or your favorite herb from the garden.

For the syrup:

1 c. fresh blueberries ½ c. red wine vinegar ½ c. sugar (or to taste) 1 fresh or dried bay leaf

In a blender or food processor, combine the blueberries and vinegar and puree until very smooth. Combine the puree with sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the fresh or dried bay leaf to the pot and bring to a simmer—stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste the mixture until you achieve the strength of herb flavor you prefer and adjust for sweetness, if needed. This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve and allow to cool. Once cooled, transfer the shrub to a glass jar or container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the soda or shrub:

1 Topo Chico 1½ oz. gin or vodka (optional)

Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of shrub mix with 8 ounces of cold Topo Chico over a few ice cubes for a refreshing homemade soda. Make a delicious cocktail by adding gin or vodka to the soda mix.

by STEPHANIE MCCLENNY photography by CASEY WOODS

STRAWBERRY PALOMA

In Mexico, a traditional Paloma is almost always made using tequila, lime and Fresca or Jarritos grapefruit soda. Not one for conforming, I love bending the rules a bit and riffing on the seasons at any given time. This puree makes enough for you and a friend to drink while you catch up. As you imbibe, continue to top off the drinks with Topo Chico to make it “Ranch Water” style.

For the strawberry puree: 1 pt. (8 oz.) ripe strawberries, rinsed, hulled, coarsely chopped 2 T. sugar (plus more, depending on the sweetness of your berries) Squeeze of fresh lime juice

Toss the chopped strawberries, sugar and lime juice in the pitcher of a blender or in a deep bowl and leave at room temperature to macerate for about 15 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the berries start releasing

their juices. Puree in the blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste for sweetness—adding more sugar or lime, if desired. (I prefer my cocktails on the tart side.) Once it tastes right, pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve using a spatula to get rid of the strawberry seeds. Chill until ready to use.

For the cocktail:

¼ c. strawberry puree 1½ oz. tequila blanco (El Jimador is a favorite) 1 t. fresh lime juice 2 T. fresh grapefruit juice Topo Chico, to taste

Pour the strawberry puree into a tall glass. Add the tequila, lime and grapefruit juices and stir gently. Transfer to your favorite glass, add ice and top with Topo Chico, to taste.

STRAWBERRY SKILLET CORNCAKE WITH BUTTERMILK GLAZE

I love a good everyday cake—especially one that’s not too sweet. Thiscake makes a mighty fine breakfast, coffee break nibble or a simple dessert,and can be made on a whim with ingredients you probably alreadyhave in the pantry. I prefer the toothsome crunch of coarse-ground yellowcornmeal here, but you could use fine-ground, too.

For the corncake:

½ c. (1 stick) softened butter, cut into large pieces (plus more for greasing the pan) ¹⁄ ³ c. sugar 2 large eggs 1 c. coarse-ground yellow cornmeal 1½ c. all-purpose flour 2 t. baking powder ½ t. baking soda ½ t. salt 1½ c. fresh buttermilk1 pt. (8 oz.) fresh strawberries, hulled, halved or chopped, divided

For the buttermilk glaze:

2 T. buttermilk¼ c. powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or another heavy baking pan with butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy—about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time—stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the cornmeal. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time, alternating with the buttermilk until just mixed. Gently fold in half of the strawberries with a spatula. Scrape the batter into the greased pan and place in the oven.

After about halfway through the baking time (25 to 30 minutes), arrange the other half of the berries on top of the batter (this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter in the pan). Bake until the corncake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean—about another 25 to 30 minutes.

BLACKBERRY KETCHUP

In our not-so-distant culinary past, ketchups were ubiquitous condiments made from anything from mushrooms to beets to bananas. This blackberryketchup will have you madly seeking out ways to use it. Think: a glaze for ribs or meatloaf, slathered on a turkey burger or as a dip forsweet potato fries.

1 pt. (8 oz.) fresh blackberries ½ c. red wine vinegar ½ c. water 1 large shallot, chopped coarsely 3 c. packed brown sugar (or to taste) ¼ t. ground cloves 1 t. ground ginger 1 t. ground cinnamon ¼ t. cayenne pepper ½ t. salt

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat—stirring occasionally. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the juices in the pan appear to thicken a bit— about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the contents into a blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl to remove the seeds, if preferred. Pour into a glass jar or container, cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Due to the pectin content in the berries, the mixture will thicken considerably after cooling; thin with a bit of water over low heat before using, if desired.