gooseberries

 

It's nearly June and so I think that qualifies as being summer - well early summer anyway and one of the first of the soft fruits to be harvested at this time of year are gooseberries.

I am not sure why, but gooseberries, one of our traditional British fruits, seem to have fallen out of favour, especially with the supermarkets and it is often difficult to find them, except maybe a very small punnet at an exorbitant price.

This is a huge shame as gooseberries are very versatile, making delicious desserts as well as sauces and preserves.

 

 

When we first got our allotment 3 years ago, one of the first things to be planted was a gooseberry bush - variety careless.

But it is true to say that it has struggled somewhat.

In the first two years it was beset by mildew; last year, maybe due to the cold spring, it produced a mere handful of fruits ...

but finally, this year, we were able to pick a delicious bowlful.



 

Just enough,

when lightly cooked, sieved and mixed with equal quantities of vanilla yoghurt and custard, to make a summery gooseberry fool.

 

 

Last autumn, we planted another gooseberry bush, this time Hinnonmaki red  in a different part of the allotment. It already looks strong and healthy and has a few fruits developing. I'm thinking that come the autumn, moving the original gooseberry bush to another place may improve its oulook.

Here's hoping!

 

 

 

 

p.s The lovely Stephanie at Millefeuilles has a maytime giveaway of one of her beautiful hares. The link is here. Do take a peek.