“Willy Wonka: Well, I told you I hadn’t quite got it right, ’cause it goes a little funny when it gets to the dessert. It’s the Blueberry Pie that does it. I’m terribly sorry!” -Roald Dahl
Pity poor little Violet Beauregarde. While touring Willy Wonka’s fantastical chocolate factory, the greedy little gum-chewer experiences the all the flavors and textures of a three-course dinner: tomato soup, roast beef, and blueberry pie (with cream) while munching on a specially Wonka-infused piece of chewing gum. Sadly, the formulation is a little wonky, and Violet is transformed into a large, violet blueberry. Even juicing can’t save that impulsive child. I just love a good cautionary tale.
I hope you are taking advantage of blueberries, albeit without Willy Wonka’s magic touch. Blueberries are easy picking for delightful and simple summery meals; all day and all night.
Mr. Sanders starts most mornings with blueberries. Sometimes he just rinses them off in a little strainer, and drops them into a bowl for easy munching. Or he mixes them with other berries and some yogurt. Sometimes he ladles a handful on top of a bowl of leaves and twigs and has a healthy, crunchy granola breakfast.
I like my blueberries as a special component: in piping hot, just baked blueberry muffins, with melting Irish butter, and the Sunday papers. Or in blueberry pancakes, with warm blueberry bursts in each mouthful. Nigel Slater has a divine recipe for blueberry French toast: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/may/09/nigel-slater-recipes-for-baked-peppers-and-blueberry-compote
Or, with a little planning, you can bake a breakfast cake. How perfect is cake for breakfast? A blueberry breakfast cake is the best way to start a day: https://amandascookin.com/blueberry-breakfast-cake/
Now that we are vaxxed (and I hope you are, too) we can entertain the notion of pot lucks again. This is an easy and unusual dish to bring to a Memorial Day get together: blueberry, corn and feta salad. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/white-balsamic-blueberry-corn-and-feta-salad/
Simple, seasonal, and not another platter of deviled eggs.
Here is another unique take on serving blueberries – from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, of all places: https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-recipe/roasted-blueberry-toasts/ It is simple and summery, and the perfect finger food when you are struggling to make small talk again. There is nothing like chasing spilled blueberries across the back porch to liven up an awkward moment.
Perhaps the Blueberry Council’s blueberry mimosas will smooth over any of your rusty social skills: https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-recipe/blueberry-mimosa/ This is a fascinating and thorough website for learning all things blueberry: https://www.blueberrycouncil.org
Surely the ultimate blueberry moment is the first bite of pie. You might prefer your pie open-faced, lattice work, crumble, or with a second crust. It’s going to be a long summer, so try every variation. Our friends at Food52 have done lots of research, and lots of baking. I rely on them to guide me through these treacherous blueberry pie waters: https://food52.com/recipes/23647-rose-levy-beranbaum-s-fresh-blueberry-pie
“Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he ever wanted. He lived happily ever after.”
-Roald Dahl
Robert Hall says
I have a sad blueberry tale.
We planted 500 blueberry bushes in our 3,000 tree orchard to include this delightful fruit to sell along with our apples, cider, maple syrup and vegetables in our Vermont country store. Then, just as we were ready to harvest our first crop, my sight loss reached a point where I could no longer drive cars, trucks or tractors so we sold the farms. 31 years later, I still wonder how tasty they would be.
BobHallsr