Summers hit hard in the Pacific Northwest when they finally arrive in mid- to late July. On sultry evenings after scorcher days, it’s good to step outdoors and meander along country roads draped in musty-sweet streamers of fragrance from ripening blackberries. Soon the sunbaked wild canes will yield their bounty to any birds, beasts or cooks willing to brave their prickly tangles.
Meanwhile, there are the raspberries, which grace us with their presence from mid to late June into late July. The more cultured fruit in the berry family, the raspberry’s velvety exterior and sumptuous flavor go hand in hand with silver service, crystal goblets and fancy tarts.
But don’t let its reputation mislead you. It’s still just another member of the caneberry clan. Just as respectable are the marionberry – named for the Willamette Valley county where it was developed – Cascadeberry, boysenberry and loganberry.
For the uninitiated, caneberries are, quite simply, berries that grow on a cane. They fall into two basic categories, raspberries or blackberries, and if you can get a look at their innards, it’s easy to tell the difference. Blackberries come with their center core still attached. If the berry has a hollow center, indicating that the core was left behind on the vine, it’s a raspberry.
Then there are the hybrids, berries resulting from crosses made between the raspberry and blackberry. The most popular new breed would be the marionberry. It came into being in 1956, after years and years of cross-breeding that began with the pairing of a blackberry with a raspberry. That produced a loganberry. Many different crossings sprang from the loganberry, and ultimately, two of those breeds – the Chehalem and the Olallie – were crossed to produce the marionberry.
Grown almost exclusively in western Oregon, it has become the most widely planted blackberry variety in the world since it is considered the perfect berry for pies, cobblers and hand-to-mouth consumption. The seeds are small and not too numerous, making the marionberry an excellent choice for home-made jam.
Storage of caneberries
Do not rinse until just before using. Store in shallow layer (not deeper than three or four inches), loosely covered, in your refrigerator, for up to three or four days (Actually, I’ve kept half a flat in the fridge for a week, but that was pushing it.).
Freezing caneberries
Unsweetened, individually frozen: This is the best method for preparing purees and jams at a later date; however, unsweetened fruit will lose quality faster than fruit packed in sugar or syrup. You can generally store it for eight months without sacrificing quality.
Place washed, well-drained, sorted berries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze until firm. Pack into freezer-proof plastic bags or containers and freeze.
Jan Robert-Dominguez is an Oregon-based food writer. She may be reached by e-mail at janrd@proxis.com.
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