Quick Treatments: Past Peak Berries
Brandy-soaked berries for winter eating
“Berries that are kind of going – I soak them in brandy and leave them in jars. That works out kind of nice – the berries pull in all that liquor when I open them up in winter time.” (Chef Jodi Janisse, Café Soeurette, Milwaukee)
Casseroles and cobblers for berries who have “seen better days”
“I like to make fruit casseroles, cobblers and sweet pies to use up fruit that might have seen better days – blueberries, raspberries or blackberries (especially if you’re buying organic). Casseroles are quick. Just layer the fruits in a casserole pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes.” (Dawn Viola, recipe developer, Central Florida)
Berry toppings for pancakes
“Whenever my wife makes homemade pancakes and we have some berries left over, we’ll make different toppings out of whatever fruit we want to use up. First I put in enough water to barely cover the berries in a pot, add a tablespoon of sugar and ¼ cup corn syrup to help thicken the mixture. You let it cool and sit for a long time, and it thickens nicely.” (Danny Hechtman of Ken’s Diner, Skokie IL)
Parfaits from random numbers of berries
“To make Jello Parfaits, I’ll take two or three boxes of Jello, and layer the colors in fluted glasses: 1” high of yellow, drop some blueberries, add an orange layer, 4-5 blueberries or 6 or 7 strawberries, and it all becomes part of the design.” (Danny Hechtman of Ken’s Diner, Skokie IL)
