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Dear Sharon another interesting article, well done.
We get Fragaria vesca, our wild strawberries growing here, normally just on the edge of wild paths!
I don't know why they like it there but they do, they are quite delicious to eat, much better than the horrible tasteless, watery things they sell in shops.
As it is Wimbledon fortnight in England (Tennis), everyone eats strawberries and cream and drinks Champagne, well those who go there and can afford it do!
Your lovely story brings back memories of when I lived with my Grandma in North Yorkshire.
On the Glorious Twelfth (August), the Grouse shooting season opens; all the men went shooting on the moors whilst my Grandma did the food for their and the beaters lunches, so we were sent out to go Bilberry picking.
Bilberries are the same family as your Blueberries, just smaller and are very difficult to cultivate, they prefer the wild moors and bogs than a pot!
So we used to get Bilberry jam and wonderful sauces with port and Juniper berries to go with the Grouse the men had shot, what a treat!
As my wife reads your articles and indeed finds them fascinating, as I do; she suddenly said on Sunday lets go to Kent and get some real strawberries, so we did.
There is an organic farm down there, that does pick you own strawberries, unfortunately she eat more than she picked, which is usual!
The ones I picked I paid for and bought some cream from the farm.
We stopped off in a little village and they had English Afternoon tea, so my wife smelling the warm scones said to me "I bet this would make Sharon hungry," the scones were still warm and the strawberry jam delicious, although I did have a bit too much thick fresh cream!
I hasten to add we did not eat the other strawberries till Monday.
Kind Regards.
From a Very Hot England.
Hi Neil,
What a great story. Please tell your wife I would have been right there in the middle of the scones and strawberry jam!
We finally grew the big cultivated strawberries one year when I was little, and I think I ate all of them before they could be harvested. I would get up early and get outside before anybody else...and that was very early...and nibble till I couldn't eat another bite. Breakfast would come then, and I couldn't eat, but the juices left around my mouth were a dead giveaway to what I had been doing. I still have a friend who makes two kinds of strawberry jam for me...and strawberry cakes, too.
I have never cared very much for blueberries, though. I can't remember ever having had them when I was small. Maybe they did not grow there. I buy them occasionally and have them in breads (blueberry/banana bread is delish!), but I rarely eat blueberries. Who would want them after having had fresh strawberries!
Thanks for your great story...made me feel like I was right there with you. Hot here, too, but has cooled down to the lower 90*s, instead of the 100*s this week. (F) Strange weather for the end of June.
So good to hear from you, thank you and to your wife as well.
Sharon
Dear Sharon,
Thank you for your great story and your kind comments, I have passed them on to my wife.
Bilberries are not sweet like Blueberries and really only grow in the wild, normally where it is cold and damp.
My wife grows Blueberries in our garden, as she likes them in muffins, I don't really enjoy them but love Bilberries..
Sarah (my wife), says if you ever come to England she would treat you to Cranachan which is Scottish.
It is basically the best Sottish Raspberries (renowned as the best anywhere), a small bit of Crowdie cheese, oatmeal, loads of Double cream and four tablespoons of the finest malt Whisky, per person.
A perfect end to any dinner.
I had to tell you about my wife's comment about you; not only did it make me laugh, but as they brought out this wonderful yellow homemade butter and all the other nice things that go with scones, I did think if only Sharon could smell this!
Maybe one day they may invent a way where you can send the picture and the smell over the internet.
Kindest Regards.
Neil & Sarah.
