Blackberry Thyme

Notice the clever pun?   (Lame, I know.)

It is blackberry season and The Hubs and I recently made an early visit to our local blackberry u-pick farm conveniently located two miles from our home.   In less than thirty minutes, we picked seventeen quarts of huge blackberries.  (All this before 7:30 a.m., I might add.)

With 17 quarts, I plan on eating some fresh and unadorned (as I am now in my granola), as well as canning up pints of jam.

I am sure that I will make a batch of each of these favorites:

• Blackberry-Lemon Jam with Thyme
  
• Blackberry Vinegar
• Blackberry-Lemon Jam with Cinnamon Basil
• Blackberry-Lime Freezer Jam
• Blackberry Lime Jam (conventional version)
• Blackberry Port Jam
• Blackberry Syrup
• Peach-Blackberry Cobbler with Thyme

After all this sweet stuff, you will need a salad or two.  Try my most recent blackberry recipe with Black and Blue and Red Salad.    Or make your own salad and top it with this jam based dressing, Blackberry Basil Dressing.

Freezing blackberries is super easy.   This method allows you to have plenty to throw into beverages like Blackberry ‘Ritas and Blackberry-Cucumber Water.  Let me just say that we have a new favorite Blackberry Lime Margarita that I whipped up after this recent onslaught of berries.

 

These are so good that I plan on making freezer packs.

Blackberry-Lime Margarita Freezer Packs
adapted from Blackberry Lime Margarita

Serves 4-8 (depending on your ‘rita glass size)

2 c. blackberries
1 c. fresh lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 c. 100% agave white tequila
1/2 c. fine sugar (like baker’s sugar)

Puree blackberries in a blender. Force puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl and discard solids.  (You should have about a cup of puree, more or less.)

Place puree back in blender along with lime juice, tequila and sugar.   Blend until frothy and sugar is dissolved.

Now, you can pour this over crushed ice and drink immediately or you can freeze in a sealable bag for later.   Remove from freezer and break up a bit before serving your slushy adult beverage.

 

I can’t honestly describe the enormity of these blackberries in words.  Let me let a picture do them justice.

The top berry is obviously one from the blackberry farm.   The bottom three are some off the wild bushes that have sprung up on our back fence (thanks to the mockingbirds, I am sure).

This farm also offers blueberries and I will make at least another trip back to pick those soon.  I have a bit more time because the blueberries are in season until July.

 

P.S. Besides the jams, vinegars and margarita mixes that I have made this week using up these berries, I also made this new recipe that is definitely a keeper:   Blackberries in Framboise.

 

Please check out another great Oklahoma Blackberry post at Kelli’s Kitchen.