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blueberries

Celebrating the sweet spot of summer with a Blueberry Jam-boree

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By Emily Meagher

Scotch Ridge Trees & Berries, photo by Pattie Garrett

There’s a magical time in July and August where we get to the sweet spot of fresh produce at the farmers’ market here in upstate New York. Every week farmers’ tables are piled even higher with a rainbow of colors, and the literal sweet spot lies in the sweet corn, lush tomatoes, and colorful berries that come fresh off the land.

Since the seasons change faster than the blink of an eye, we at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market won’t let the sweetness of summer go by without a celebration. This Saturday, July 31st, from 9 am-1 pm at High Rock Park, join us for our third annual (excluding 2020, of course!) Blueberry Jam-boree.

Scotch Ridge Trees & Berries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Blueberries are native to North America and have been for over 10,000 years, so it’s no wonder that it’s one of America’s favorite berries. And to enjoy the fruits from local farmers, grown without pesticides and picked fresh, is to experience an extra sweet and nutritious taste of summer.

Several local farms will bring the best of this season’s blueberries, ranging from snack cups, to pints, to quarts. Many other vendors will feature blueberry-flavored or inspired products, like blueberry jams from Kokinda Farm, hand pies from The Food Florist and Night Work Bread, and cheesecakes from Grandma Apple’s Cheesecakes. Ballston Lake Apiaries will bring blueberry-infused honey, and Slate Valley Farms has blueberry maple syrup and blueberry-lavender lemonade. Other items include blueberry-lemon fromage frais at Nettle Meadow, blueberry Italian cream soda at Something’s Brewing, a sampling of homemade blueberry marshmallows at The Chocolate Spoon, and blueberry Sweet Greek yogurt and smoothies at Argyle Cheese Farmer. Well-behaved four-footed friends are welcome, too, and can enjoy blueberry pupcakes at Mugzy’s Barkery. More blueberry specials as well as samples will be listed day-of.

Market staff will host free activities and tastings for children and adults, like a scavenger hunt, craft, and blueberry corn hole. Recipe cards and preservation tips will be available at select vendors to help you find inspiration to cook or bake something new with fresh blueberries. Live music by Geo Beat will add even more jam to the jam-boree!

To learn more about the Blueberry Jam-boree and keep up with news on the event, find our event page on Facebook. Then come to High Rock Park on July 31st to join the fun!

This week’s recipe: Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

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Photo by Pattie Garrett

Adapted from the recipe by King Arthur Flour, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the cake:
● 3 large eggs*
● heaping ½ cup sugar
● 6 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
● 1 cup small curd cottage cheese (or part-skim ricotta)
● 1 cup plain Greek yogurt*
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● ¾ cup all-purpose flour
● ½ teaspoon salt
● 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
● 1½ cups fresh blueberries*

For the glaze:
● 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
● zest from 1 lemon
● juice from ½ lemon
● 1 Tablespoon plain Greek yogurt*
● ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep.
2. Beat together the eggs and sugar until smooth.
3. Add the butter, cottage (or ricotta cheese), yogurt, and vanilla to the eggs mixture. Beat until well combined.
4. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder, to the egg/cheese mixture stirring to combine.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the blueberries evenly over the top.
6. Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, until the tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to firm.

Glaze:
8. Whip together the confectioner’s sugar, zest, juice, yogurt, and vanilla. Adjust liquid for the desired consistency.
9. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

Week 3: Blueberries

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Blueberries from Scotch Ridge Berry Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

 

Here are the full instructions to the blueberry dough activity!

 

Extra resources:

10 Healthy blueberry snack ideas that your kids will love to cook (article)

Some more kid-friendly blueberry recipes (listing)

Blueberries – Healthy Kids Coalition (video)

Blueberry: How does it grow? (video – recommended for older kids)

The Bumble Nums Make Ballooning Blueberry Cobbler | Cartoons For Kids (video – recommended for young kids)

A farmers’ market guide to berries

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By Julia Howard

Sweet, sour, tart, juicy — berries are a highlight of the summer season. At the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, local farms bring the very best. The variety includes gooseberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and saskatoon berries.

These locally sourced berries signify the diversity that grows in our region from late spring to early fall. Berries are known for their health benefits and antioxidants, but it’s their taste that makes them a coveted summertime treat.

Gooseberries are produced by a thorny shrub and are easy to grow, according to Laurie Kokinda, owner of Kokinda Farm. “Pick off the stems, rinse, and you can freeze them whole or cook them down first,” explains Kokinda. Gooseberries have a strawberry-grape flavor and are popular in jams, pies, and as a dessert topping.

Gooseberries, AdobeStock

Strawberries can be found in bountiful harvests in the early summer with additional everbearing varieties that produce berries into late September. Locally grown strawberries are often smaller than those found in stores, however, they have much more flavor.

Strawberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Blueberries are just beginning to ripen and at Butternut Ridge Farm, Debbie Stevens reports that their harvest will begin in 1-2 weeks. Sweet, juicy, and loaded with antioxidants, blueberries are ideal for eating fresh, or in sauces and baked goods.

Raspberries are cold-hardy and long-lived. They produce sweet, flavorful fruit suitable for fresh eating, sauces, and preserves. “Our raspberry and blackberry bushes have been on our farm for generations,” says Andy Burger of Burger’s Market Garden. “We hand-pick these all-natural, small-batch crops fresh for every market, and our purple raspberries are really wonderful.”

Raspberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Blackberries are renowned for their nutritional value as they are packed with fiber and vitamins C and K. The delicate fruit is popular in desserts, jams, seedless jelly, and sometimes wine. “Get them while you can because their growing season can be short-lived depending on the weather,” advises Andy Burger. “Freezing these berries is as easy as spreading them on a baking sheet to freeze overnight, and throwing them in a zip-lock freezer bag.”

Blackberries and blueberries, photo by Pattie Garrett

Saskatoon berries are exclusively available at Scotch Ridge Berries & Trees. Saskatoons are similar to blueberries in their composition and nutrition, though they are more closely related to the apple family. Many describe their taste as having a sweet, nutty almond flavor. They typically ripen in late June or early July depending on the seasonal climate.

Saskatoon berry, AdobeStock

This week’s recipe: Blueberry Fool

Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

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Adapted from the recipe by The Chew and Two Peas and Their Pod, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Pancakes:

  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon curd
  • 1 cup whole milk*
  • 2 eggs*
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta*
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • butter*

Blueberry Sauce:

  • 1½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries*
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

For the Pancakes:

  1. In a small bowl, microwave the lemon curd for a few seconds. Add ¼ cup of milk to the the curd and whip. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and whisk in the remaining milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and ricotta.
  2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the ricotta mixture.
  3. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter into the pan. Pour batter into the hot pan. Cook the pancakes for about 3 to 4 minutes until undersides are golden brown and a few bubbles begin to form on top. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.

For the Blueberry Sauce:

  1. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and cornstarch and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir in lemon juice and cornstarch mixture.