Easy-to-pick, easy-to-clean and easy-to-eat blueberries have many benefits: They are cholesterol- and fat-free, a good source of vitamin C, low in calories and a good source of fiber and potassium. They also contain plant chemicals that may be protective against some forms of cancer, reduce inflammation and heart disease, prevent urinary tract infections, improve vision and strengthen the body’s natural defenses. (The chemical that gets the most credit is a pigment called anthocyanin, which gives blueberries their distinctive color.)
But for the forgetful among us, take note: There is some evidence that through their abilities as antioxidants or anti-inflammatories, blueberries can ward off characteristics of aging, including memory loss.
Most of the blueberries we see in markets are cultivated, not wild. These blueberries are almost never sold loose but are instead in pint containers covered with plastic. Look through the plastic for berries that have a white, chalky cast to them: It’s a sign of freshness. If they do not roll around freely in the container when shaken slightly, they may be overripe or crushed inside, so keep looking.
When you get the berries home, remove them from the container and put them in a bowl. Pick out the moldy or crushed berries and discard them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Do not wash the berries until you’re ready to eat them.
Serve blueberries with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream or a little sweetened whipped cream, creme fraiche or yogurt, maybe with a small wedge of poundcake, angel food cake or shortcake. Blueberries can be tart, so sprinkle them with sugar, either granulated or confectioners’, if it’s needed. For a dinner-party dessert, place them in a small bowl and put a shot glass of limoncello on the side. Mix them with other berries in cobblers, slumps, grunts and crumbles or bake a batch of blueberry muffins–they’re especially good in corn muffins. Add them to your favorite cereal for breakfast or to a smoothie.
Having house guests? Make blueberry pancakes.
To save their flavor for a future date, freeze the blueberries: Put them on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or until they are hard. Transfer them to a heavy-duty freezer bag and pull them out when you need a spike of summer on a cold day.
Blueberries with Barbados cream
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: 12 hours
Yield: 8 servings
Blueberries and cream are a natural pairing. For guests, you can put the bowl of Barbados cream in the middle of the table and let them add as much or as little as their calorie counting allows. Limoncello on the side is also nice. Adapted from “How to Eat,” by Nigella Lawson.
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 1/3 cups plain yogurt
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 pints blueberries
1. Beat together cream and yogurt in a bowl of an electric mixer on high speed until somewhat but not too stiffly thick, about 3 minutes. Add sugar; stir until completely combined. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Spoon the cream into individual dishes; top with blueberries.
Nutrition information per serving:
229 calories, 56% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 51 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
