BERRIED TREASURES

Cape Gooseberry

Gooseberry

Many a mulberry tree was raided when we were kids, including our own.  When we’d stripped it bare of leaves and berries our relentless scavenging branched off to the rest of the mulberry trees in the neighbourhood.  After we’d feasted on mulberries until we’d had our fill; long after our mouths, lips, tongues and fingers had turned deep purple, almost black from the luscious juice of the berries, not to mention the mess we made of our clothes (but I did make mention of it), we made our way back home again to be greeted by some “tsk-tsking” from Nana or Mum; or both.   

They never really scolded us, though.  To get into a mess was par for the course of being a kid, I guess.

I wonder if the stains ever did come out of our clothes.  Perhaps the tie-dyeing craze of the mid-Sixties/early Seventies originated from the messes caused by mulberry eating.

The reason we kids rid Gympie’s mulberry trees of their leaves was to feed our families of silkworms. Silkworms love mulberry leaves.  Just about every kid had silkworms in those days.  Much trading went on throughout the neighbourhoods. 

Is the keeping of silkworms still popular with today’s kids (yesterday’s and last week’s, too)? 

Not only were silkworms fun to nurture, but good use was made of shoe boxes.  Recycling began right there! Shoe boxes were never thrown away. They became houses and factories for our industrious silkworms.  The busy little Bombyx mori caterpillars needed somewhere safe to spin their silk. 

We weren’t as enterprising. Instead of spinning yarns we should’ve turned the results of their efforts into fabric. Think of all silk blouses, dresses, shirts and ties we could’ve had! A choice opportunity slipped through our fingers.

Silkworms love mulberry leaves; I love mulberries.  I also love gooseberries.

Many years have passed by since I’ve had even a single gooseberry, let alone a gooseberry pie or tart. 

Donkey years ago when my late mother-in-law’s Cape gooseberry bush (not to be confused with “gooseberry” was in full production mode she’d have a Cape gooseberry pie waiting for me each time I paid a visit, even in the years before she became my mother-in-law when Randall was still living and working in New York City.  She knew I loved gooseberry pies.  I’m drooling at the memory of her delicious Cape gooseberry pies.

The Cape Gooseberry isn’t related to the Gooseberry. Cape Gooseberries are native to Peru; associated with the lost Incan Civilization and Machu Picchu.

Gooseberries are native to Europe, north-western Africa, west, south and south-east Asia.

I’ve never played at being a gooseberry, but I was an easy mark a few times in years long gone when someone often played “gooseberry”, ruining what could possibly have turned out fun times; and, maybe, a fine romance or two! 

My brother, Graham was the chief (and only) perpetrator/someone.  Older brothers can be such a pain at times!

Expertly proficient at playing the game of “gooseberry” when I was a teenager, he extracted extreme pleasure from it.

Graham ruined a couple of budding romances.

Be assured, I blew raspberries at him behind his back, and a few more in his face! He didn’t completely get away with his underhand methods.

I often wish I’d be allowed a few “sliding door” moments to see the “what ifs”; but maybe it’s better I don’t know - because I might become berry blue!

We didn’t have strawberry fields forever, however, in a dedicated garden patch our mother grew strawberries.  Down on our haunches, Graham and I regularly feasted upon the berries straight from the plants. Our strawberry eating rarely caused staining to our clothes.  I doubt many, if any, of the berries made it up the stairs to the kitchen, but that wasn’t a bad thing.  We were never reprimanded for our grazing along the rows, as long as we didn’t step on the plants.  After much practice, we were experts in the field of strawberry-picking-eating.

A bit of trivia for you to store away – just in case - strawberries aren’t actually berries; pineapples are; tomatoes are berries, too; as are avocados. 

On the subject of berries, my mother grew a pineapple once; a single pineapple.

After waiting forever for the crown to bear fruit (over two years), unfortunately, the sole pineapple finally ripened when Mum was on holidays, staying with me in my unit at Toowong, Brisbane. Nana, who’d remained behind in Slade Point (via Mackay) ate the long-awaited pineapple rather than let it go to waste. Having waited forever for her fruit to come into fruition Mum was not amused!  Nana did report to us how delicious the pineapple was.  Mum was still not amused!

Berry-Kale Salad: Remove leaves from stems of 1 kale bunch; tear into bite-sized pieces; put in bowl; drizzle over 1tbs x-virgin olive oil and 3/4tsp sea salt; massage a few minutes with hands; set aside. Combine juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange. 1tbs x-virgin olive oil and 1tsp honey; season; pour over kale. Just before serving add ½ avocado, cubed, 1c fresh blueberries, 2tbs toasted pepitas and dressing.

Red Wheat Berry Salad: Soak 1c red wheat berries overnight in cold water, drain. Boil wheat berries (unprocessed wheat kernels) in 6c water, 50-60mins, until tender; drain. Boil 2c water in another pot; add 1c wild rice; simmer 45mins; undercook a little to retain some structure; drain. Combine wheat and rice in bowl. Whisk 3tbs lemon/lime juice, 1tbs each honey and Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and a little olive oil, if desired. Add dressing to wheat/wild rice; add 1c dried cranberries, 2/3c toasted, chopped pecans, 1/2c each chopped parsley and shallots and 1 finely-chopped celery stalk.

Mulberry Pudding: Spread 4c mulberries in greased, floured 9x9 pan. Combine 3tbs sugar and 2tbs flour; sprinkle over berries. Cream 3tbs softened butter and ½c sugar; mix in 1 egg and 1/4tsp vanilla. Combine 1c plain flour, 1tsp baking powder and 1/2tsp salt; add to creamed mix alternately with 1/3c milk. Drop spoonfuls of batter over fruit; all fruit may not be covered. Bake in preheated 175C oven, 30-40mins.

Berry Balls: Blend together until fine 1/2c oats, 1/4c each raw almonds and cashews; add 1tbs Acai berry powder, five fresh or frozen berries of choice; when mixture begins to clump together, add 1tbs each of goji berries, cranberries and raisins; mix with your hands; roll into balls; chill 45-90mins.

Cape Gooseberries and Strawberry Flaugnarde: Place 1-1/4c milk, 1/3c sugar, 3 large eggs, 1tsp vanilla, pinch of salt and 1/2c plain flour in bowl. Using hand mixer, mix ingredients until free of lumps. Grease a 9-inch baking dish; pour in 2/3^rd of batter. Place dish in 180C preheated oven; bake 10mins. Remove from oven; place 2c Cape gooseberries and 1c strawberries on top; sprinkle with 1/3c sugar; then carefully pour over the remaining batter. Place back in oven; bake 50-60mins or until it’s all puffed up and brown on top. Just before serving sprinkle with icing sugar.

Pineapple Pudding: Process 55g chopped fresh pineapple until pureed. Scrap into a pan; add 2/3^rd cup caster sugar; cook about 5mins until reduced by 1/3^rd. Mixture should be thick but not as thick as preserves/jam; add a little water to thin it out, if necessary. Meanwhile, make caramel by placing 4tbs sugar in a heavy pan and cook to start to caramelize; shake pan, but do not stir. Remove from heat once sugar has dissolved and is golden brown. Carefully stir in 1tbs lime juice (it will splatter and spit…so there is no need for you to spit the dummy). Divide caramel between 6 ramekins. Preheat oven 180C. Lightly beat 4 eggs and stir into the cooled pineapple mixture; divide this mixture evenly among the ramekins. Place ramekins into a roasting pan; pour warm water into pan so that it comes halfway up the pan.  Bake 45mins, until set. Let cool, then invert ramekins onto dessert plates.