By Lesley Bailey
In the words of poet John Keats in his iconic poem Ode to Autumn, this time of year is a ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’. This year there seems to be a stunning harvest of blackberries, rose hips and haws which will feed the incoming winter migration of birds.
Seeing some rose hips yesterday, as I walked from the Cottingham allotments home to East Carlton, reminded me of picking rose hips with my mother and brother years ago at Weekley Woods near Kettering. Sacks of the hips were sent away to be pressed to produce rose hip syrup, which was then given to children whose diets lacked vitamin C. I seem to recall my brother took great delight in tipping the opened contents of a hip down my neck because it contained ‘itching powder’.
If you and your family are planning an outing to pick blackberries, don’t forget the old adage that they must be picked before the end of September as any remaining blackberries after this are the devil’s share! Folklore going back hundreds of years warns us not to pick the fruit after Michaelmas Day because the devil has poisoned them.
However you choose to enjoy the approaching autumn season, enjoy the changes that the cooling temperatures bring and let’s hope winter doesn’t set in too early.
Here is an easy recipe to enjoy:
Blackberry compote
Ingredients
- 750g of washed and halved blackberries
- 100g of golden castor sugar
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- Pinch of nutmeg
Method
Blitz two thirds of the blackberries with the sugar, lemon zest juice and nutmeg in a food processor until smooth, then sieve to remove the seeds. Fold the remaining fruit through the purée and set aside. Refrigerate and use within two days, or freeze.
Suggested uses
- Add to yogurt for a wake-up breakfast
- Add to crumbles and pies for extra flavour
- Freeze into ice cubes for a lovely addition to a gin and tonic!
Author, Lesley Bailey has lived in East Carlton for almost thirty years. Her debut novel Munch is available from the community shop. £5.00 from the sale of each book is donated to the shop.