Blackberry Season
Folklore, recipes and foraging tips
Sun-ripened, sweet and warm, with just a hint of something darker and smokier underneath. Is there any better bridge between Summer and Autumn than a blackberry? They manage to combine all the happiness and sunshine of Summer with the richness of Autumn, in a deeply comforting way. Which is possibly why everyone goes crazy for them at this time of year. I’m seeing a lot of blackberry chat on here right now, as well as other social media and I’m fully on board.
There is definitely something about the phrase ‘blackberry season’, that ticks a lot of cottagecore boxes too. It makes me think of wicker baskets piled high with berries, warm kitchens with bubbling pans of jam and freshly baked pies just out of the oven. I also like the fact that ‘blackberrying’ can be classed as a hobby. According to the Guardian, “blackberrying occupies a special cultural niche [in the UK] as a uniquely rewarding leisure activity.” Who knew!
Well, I need no further excuse to fully embrace this season. Who wants to come blackberrying with me?
Below you’ll find foraging and preserving tips, a dash of blackberry folklore and some of my blackberry-based favourite recipes to enjoy. I’ve divided the recipes into two sections depending on whether you want to hold on to Summer, or usher in Autumn. (I’m firmly in the Autumn camp in case you’re wondering).
Right. Baskets at the ready… off we go!
Blackbery Folklore
There’s some lovely juicy folklore surrounding blackberry season; the aim of which seems to be to guide you to eat blackberries at the right time.
The first piece of folklore to respect is never pick the first blackberries of the season. These should be left on the bush for the fairy folk, and once they have been taken then you are welcome to pick yours. (Fairies or no, this is useful to remember, as the very first fruit of the season is likely to be sharp and bitter).
And the second is to never pick blackberries after Michaelmas Day (29th September) as after this date the Devil supposedly spits or stamps on them, rendering them inedible. (Again, this is a useful date to remember as any fruit this late in the season is likely to be watery and mildewy.)
So, taking this into account I would say this puts the perfect blackberry season firmly between early August to mid September. Which is… right about now.
How to eat them
There are two approaches to eating or cooking with blackberries. Summer fresh or Autumn cosy. Depending on your seasonal preference I’ve put a few suggestions for eating them in each season below. Eaten straight from the garden, or on top of ice cream, blackberries are late summer in a bowl. But bake them into an apple and blackberry crumble and they are an instant gateway to autumn. Total shapeshifters.
Still holding on to Summer?
Mash them up and mix with Greek yoghurt and honey, then pour into lolly moulds for homemade blackberry lollies (leave out the honey for children under the age of 1)
Sprinkle them on top of ice cream
Slice into breakfast cereal
Make into a blackberry syrup and pour over ice cream
Want a taste of Autumn?
Mix into hot porridge with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Make a blackberry cobbler (this is my new favourite cobbler recipe. It’s SO good)
Bake into an apple and blackberry crumble
Stew them on the hob with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little sugar and serve hot with cream or custard
Make these Spiced apple and blackberry hand pies (apparently these are pies you can hold in one hand and eat on the go. I haven’t tried this recipe yet but it’s next on my list)
Got any other good blackberry recipes? All are warmly welcomed in the Comments section
How to preserve them
Blackberries freeze very well, but they do need to be frozen as soon as possible after picking. You don’t need to cook them first or do anything fancy - just bag them up and get then into the freezer as soon after picking as possible.
How to forage for them
Blackberries grow wild on brambles which can be found all over the countryside at this time of year. If you are going to forage them there are a few basic rules to follow.
Only forage on public land and it is clearly ok and safe to do so.
Only eat them if you are 100% sure you have identified them correctly.
Never pick them at ground level (or as I like to think of it, at ‘dog-wee height’) Pick the ones up high!
As I am a fearful forager (what if I poison myself, what if I poison my family, what about the dog wee?!) I grow my own in the garden and largely pick from there. They suit my style of gardening as blackberry bushes are totally wild and largely uncontrollable. Much like my house and garden right now. This year I bought a new thorn-free variety and planted it at the base of my son’s treehouse with the hope that by next year he’ll be able to lean out of the treehouse window and pick fresh blackberries. He seems less interested in this concept than I am.
Ok, that’s all for now, I hope you have a fantastic blackberry season and don’t forget - leave the first berries on the bush for the fairy folk and never pick them after the 29th September.
Vicky xx
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What a beautiful read to start the morning. And I never knew that about the first blackberries.... I'll leave them for the fairy folk from now on!
Blackberries have a special place in my heart! As a kid we use to pick blackberries along the hedgerows in Kent - the best ones were of course deep in the bush - the scratches were worth it! Then we’d play blackberry roulette - eat one and if sweet you would get another go, if sour you would miss a go! 😆 shop bought simply don’t taste the same !