Quick Tips

How to cook blackberries

Besides eating them fresh or over oatmeal, blackberries are often used in baked goods, such as pies or muffins.

How to buy blackberries

Look for berries that are dark in color and shine, slightly firm and plump.

How to store blackberries

Keep berries unwashed, in a shallow container. They are best eaten within a few days of harvesting. Berries also freeze well and can be canned as jam or preserves.

Varieties

Triple Crown
Olallie
Marion

About

There are many varieties of this caneberry, including the common olallieberry and marionberry. Blackberries grow wild in many parts of the country, often in wooded areas along hiking trails or roads.

During the summer, I am a berry fiend. I’ll often go berry picking and my philosophy is pick two, eat one. Berries don’t last long in our house, so my recipes are few and far between (unless I’m able to pick a large amount). If I’m lucky enough, I freeze a couple of bags or can a few jars of jam before everything is gone.

I’ll often put blackberries in my yogurt parfaits and overnight oats. Additionally, blackberries make wonderful toppings for waffles, and find their way into baked goods (blackberry scones are my favorite). I highly recommend that if you can find a u-pick berry farm, take the kids! It’s a fun activity and you can sample as you go. But watch out for the prickers of some bushes.