In Season: berries, berries, berries
It’s high season for berries at the markets right now, and we know you’re all hard at work jamming, baking, and preserving them at their peak.
Our vendors are busy too – not only the farmers, but our artisanal food producers who are using seasonal berries in a number of amazing food items in celebration of our 7th Annual Berry Festival this week.
Look out for micro batched Verrry Berrry Shrub from Mixers & Elixirs, limited edition Blueberry & Lavender Corn Bread Cakes from Nidhi’s Cuisine, traditional Blueberry Pieorgies from Old Country Pierogi, and Blueberry Pakoras from Mandair Farms.
Our friends at Odd Society Spirits are also joining in the berry game with a number of seasonally inspired cocktails like their gin-based BC Bramble and High Stakes Lemonade, featuring BC blueberries.
Our Berry Festival kicks off Wednesday, July 12 at Main St. Station Market and culminates with our annual Berry Pie Bake Off on July 16 at Mount Pleasant Market. Don’t miss farm-fresh berry tastings, kids activities, pie sampling, and special edition recipes like the yummy Blueberry Lemon Pudding Pie below from the BC Blueberry Council.
Blueberry Lemon Pudding Pie
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- ¼ cup (35 g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (80 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (175 ml) 35% whipping cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (115 g) salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- 4 cups (600 g) B.C. blueberries, fresh or frozen – divided
Crust
- 1¾ cups (240 g) graham cookies crumbs
- ¼ tsp (pinch) cinnamon
- ⅔ cup (150 g) salted butter, melted
Directions
- For the filling, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar, whipping cream and milk. Cook mixture on medium heat, whisking constantly until heated and thickened for 6-7 minutes. Do not boil.
- Whisk half the hot mixture into the eggs. Return to the sauce pan with the remaining mixture, then whisk in the butter and lemon juice.
- Reheat mixture on low heat for another 3 minutes, again whisking constantly, do not boil.
- Transfer to a clean bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour until cooled.
- For the crust, mix the cookie crumbs and cinnamon in a bowl; add the melted butter and mix. Transfer to a 9” pie dish, and press mixture evenly to the bottom and sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Fold 2 cups of the blueberries into the chilled pudding, then pour into the pie shell and top with remaining blueberries.
- Refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours. Serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.
