Hoorah Blackberries and cordial

Andy Hamilton · Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:22 pm

Just been out and picked between 2-3 kilos of blackberries, they really are everywhere.

Does anyone have a blackberry cordial recipe that I could use in an article about them for the main site?

ALso any recipes of any kind could be useful too, I have one for a blackberry pie that I will put up but be good to have a page with some on them as I am sure I am not the only one here who has been/will go out picking blackberries.

Chickpea · Post: # 28411Post **Chickpea** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:39 pm

Wow, are they ripe round your way already? Ours are a few weeks off being ripe yet - I've seen one or two black ones but most of them are still tiny and green.

I usually make them into blackberry and apple pie, also blackberry wine. I'll write up the recipes and send them to you.

Millymollymandy · Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:42 am

Mine on the inside of my property are still flowering! Guess I'd better go out and into the ditch the check the ones outside. Last year I started picking about 3rd week of August.

I'd love a blackberry cordial recipe because I still have loads of berries in the freezer from last year!

Luath · Post: # 28478Post **Luath** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:29 am

Blackberry cordial:

Pick over your berries and place them in a saucepan and crush them. Add water to cover, heat slowly until juices start to flow, then crush fruit again; strain through a jelly bag or similar overnight. Measure the cold juice, and add 12 oz sugar per pint of juice extracted, stirring well to dissolve.

Bottle and heat process, or freeze, or refrigerate for immediate use.

Andy Hamilton · Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:07 am

I was hoping someone had one, cheers luath.

Millymollymandy · Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:44 pm

Thanks Luath!

grahoom · Post: # 28558Post **grahoom** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:45 pm

seen a few turning black.

should get out there and pick some, wouldn't mind making some blackberry jam this year!

greenbean · Post: # 28611Post **greenbean** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:31 pm

Gosh that's early, I'm sure it was mid september last year I went brambling, mind you this is Scotland, but it still seems early for brambles.

Andy Hamilton · Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:32 pm

seems to get earlier and earlier there were some out about 2 weeks ago.

Chickpea · Post: # 28650Post **Chickpea** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:38 pm

When I was a kid in the North East, the half term week in October was known as Blackberry Week because everybody went blackberrying then. I thought I must be going mad but it's referred to here http://www.libraryclub.co.uk/Memories/memory_325.html in the right part of the country and everything. How can we go from blackberries ripening in mid October to them ripening in July?

Millymollymandy · Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:08 pm

It's the hot weather I guess. I picked a couple yesterday but they were a bit sour. I can see on mine a mixture of ones that are already black to those which have only just started flowering with butterflies flitting around them!

hedgewizard · Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:39 pm

He shoots, he scores! There's a huge bush of these in the back garden at work, must be a cultivar that's run wild because the berries are huge and SO juicy. I took about 2kg in my lunch hour, and now I'm off to turn in into jelly. Wish me luck!

Shirley · Post: # 29771Post **Shirley** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:28 pm

Good luck :) although will you need it... by the looks of your avatar you can turn anything into whatever you want

Millymollymandy · Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:40 am

I picked a load the other day - much bigger and a lot earlier than last year. I think I'll be needing a 4th freezer soon!

Shirley · Post: # 29804Post **Shirley** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 5:44 pm

a 4th freezer!!? How big are they? Haven't seen any sign of blackberries in the wild here... although I remember there were some a few years back on the 'back o' bennachie' walks - perhaps we should venture over that way