Blueberries!

One of my favorite things about the months of June through October around here is the fresh fruit, and a nice outing can be to pick it yourself. If you're only going to pick one type of fruit or berry, I think blueberries are the way to go. You don't have to squat to pick them (strawberries) or climb ladders (apples, peaches) and there are no thorns to worry about (raspberries and their kin). They taste great, freeze really well, are good for you and a pretty color to boot.

It's several weeks into the season and I still haven't had a chance to go this summer, so on Wednesday I said to Alex "we're going" and took off work a little early. We went to Hall's Hills, a little blueberries only place outside of Cortland (2110 Tower Rd., if you're interested) with lots of great bushes, set back away from noisy roads. We picked about six and a half pounds of blueberries and stuck $5 in a mailbox with a slot on top for them. I swear, I'm never paying store prices for them again.

So what did I do with all those blueberries? Well ...

Six cups went into the recipe for blueberry cobbler that's free with registration on America's Test Kitchen's website. It was fantastic, hints of lemon and cinnamon do wonders to already tasty blueberries. I have to say though, that when it calls for a 9" pie plate they must mean deep dish, which admittedly is more common these days. However, mine are originals from my mother's kitchen and I ended up transferring the berries to a souffle dish or risking a huge mess in my oven.

Another cup went into my pancakes this morning. I got the recipe out of my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It was basically a standard buttermilk pancake recipe plus:

1/4 t baking soda (in addition to what's there)
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T cornmeal
1 c blueberries

It was pretty good, and I'd recommend it, but perhaps not to die for.

What is to die for is my mom's Melt in Your Mouth Blueberry Cake, and that's what most of the rest of the berries (that didn't get set aside for eating) are destined for. Since I already have cobbler I froze them (without washing first!) in 1 1/2 c aliquots. I might use them for something else, but not likely. I don't know where the recipe came from originally, but my mom has made it ever since I can remember.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Blueberry Cake

(This make a 8x8 in pan. It can be doubled in a 9x13 pan)

2 eggs, separated
1 c sugar
1/4 t salt
½ c butter *
1 t vanilla
1 ½ c AP flour **
1 t baking powder
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 c blueberries***

*The original recipe called for shortening, but I always use butter
**I've made it with cake flour. The texture is a bit better, but the blueberries tend to sink.
***Fresh is best, but frozen works well. I haven't tried buying frozen blueberries or canned ones.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pans (or grease however). Rinse and pick over berries. Toss berries with a few tablespoons of the flour. According to my mom, this keeps them from sinking.

Beat egg whites til stiff. Add about 1/4 c sugar to keep them stiff.

Sift flour an baking powder together. Cream butter, add vanilla and salt. Add remaining sugar gradually. Add yolks and beat til light and creamy. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Fold in whites. Fold in blueberries.

Turn into greased pan. Sprinkle top of batter lightly with granulated sugar. Bake 350 50-60 minutes.

Enjoy!