For as long as I can remember, John has taken the kids dewberry picking in April. It has actually become one of our best-loved family traditions. Around spring break, he starts to scout roadside ditches in search of little white flowers, a sign that there's a vine ready to explode. He makes a mental note because fruit readiness is dependent on the amount of rain between then and harvesting day. And guess what? He's usually spot on about when to head out and grab the goodness. This year, that was Friday evening.
They left with clean hands and empty buckets
and came back with this ...
and three of these!
By now you may be wondering where I am in this picture.
No, I typically don't go with them on their berry reconnaissance mission.
It's not that I mind braving whatever might be lurking in those ditches
in the way of snakes, spiders and the like.
It's actually because I stay back to make the crust
that will fairly quickly turn into this:
A berry-licious fresh dewberry pie!
I tend to forget from year to year how flavorful this nature's candy treat is. And even though we freeze some berries for a kolaches or cobbler down the road, they just aren't quite as tasty as when those vine-ripened treasures are picked then turned into pie all in the same night. Top with a dollop of freshly-whipped cream and you've got a dessert that'll rival any restaurant or bakery creation. Friday night I remembered again.
And I smiled.
What's your favorite springtime tradition?
LOVE this, Barbara! (I'm going to have to google dew berries after this - they're a new one for me). We have raspberry and strawberry bushes in our garden, and although it's a simpler collection mission, it's a lot of fun nonetheless, and I treasure the memories of baking sweet little treats out of them with my sweet little girls.
ReplyDeleteJen
We are planning our WI summer trip based on raspberry and blackberry picking. There is nothing better than enjoying nature's harvest. I hope you had a little pie to go along with writing this post. I'm not sure we would have any leftovers as we seem to eat those berries very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI could so use a slice of that right about now. :)
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First
I don't know about dewberries. Strawberries and blackberries I know. But it sounds like those kids sure had a good time! and that pie sure looks yummy!!
ReplyDeleteI've never even heard of dewberries. They look a lot like blackberries though. So yummy!!
ReplyDelete