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Blueberries Up Close and Personal Blueberry Cultivation Comes of Age Harvesting the Blues The Cultivated Blueberry Industry Blueberries: The Gift of Health in a Small Package America's Blue-Blooded Berry Make Sure You're Getting the Honest Blues How to Handle the Blues Buying and Handling Tips Frozen Blues How To Freeze Your Own Blueberries Flavor Partners For Blueberries: Sweet and Savory Blue Batter Blues Salads and Main Dishes Creamy Smoked Turkey and Blueberry Salad Lemon Blueberry and Chicken Salad Blueberry-Onion Sauced Pork Tenderloin Breakfast and Beverages Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Berry Blue Smoothie No Bake Desserts Blueberry Dessert Wraps Blueberry Lemon Charlotte Fresh Blueberry and Lemon Parfait Celebration Desserts Double Blueberry Cookie Pie Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Pie Red, White and Blueberry Pound Cake

HOW TO HANDLE THE BLUES

BUYING AND HANDLING TIPS

Look for: fresh blueberries that are firm, dry, plump, smooth-skinned and relatively free from leaves and stems. Size is not an indicator of maturity, but color isóberries should be deep-purple blue to blue-black; reddish berries aren't ripe but may be used in cooking.

Stay away from: containers of berries with juice stains which may be a sign that the berries are crushed and possibly moldy; soft, watery fruit that means the berries are overripe; dehydrated, wrinkled fruit that means the berries have been stored too long.

Fresh berries should be stored covered in the refrigerator and washed just before using. Use within 10 days of purchase.

FROZEN BLUES

Dry-pack berries in poly bags or boxes can be found in the frozen food section of your supermarket. The frozen berries should feel loose, not clumped together.

Frozen blueberries are individually quick frozen so you can pull out a few or as many as needed.

Blueberries should be kept frozen and the unused portion returned to the freezer promptly. If not used immediately, cover and refrigerate thawed berries and use within three days.

Commercially frozen berries are washed before being frozen, so washing again is not necessary. If you make your own frozen blueberries (see How To Freeze Your Own Blueberries, below), wash just before using.

HOW TO FREEZE YOUR OWN BLUEBERRIES

The secret to successful freezing is to use berries that are unwashed and completely dry before popping them into the freezer. Completely cover the blueberry containers with plastic wrap, store in an airtight, resealable plastic bag, or arrange dry berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. When frozen, transfer berries to plastic bags or freezer containers.

FLAVOR PARTNERS FOR BLUEBERRIES:
SWEET AND SAVORY

Blueberries are an amiable fruit, getting along well with a diverse crowd of foods and flavors. Though they can't be beat in all things swwet, such as cakes, puddings, muffins, pancakes, cookies, etc., don't forget, they're pretty impressive on the savory side, too. Their fresh, fruity flavor teams up perfectly with pork, chicken and game, and they're dynamite in fruit salsas and sauces accented with black or red pepper, thyme and mint. For more heavenly flavor partners, read on:

Spices love blueberries. Try them with cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, ginger and candied ginger, mace, nutmeg, vanilla beans or vanilla extract, and fresh herbs like cilantro, mint and basil

Dairy foods are a natural mate for blueberriesócottage cheese, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, sour cream, heavy cream, ricotta cheese, or try blueberries as part of a fruit and cheese platter with mild cheeses, such as brie and goat cheese

Almost any fruit teams up well with blueberriesóapples apricots, coconuts, melons, citrus fruits and all other berries

All kinds of nuts go well, especially almonds (don't forget almond paste)

Liquers, such as the orange- or raspberry-flavored ones, are good companions, as well as rum or rum extract

Try dried blueberries instead of raisins in your next granola mix, oatmeal cookies, gingerbread, cornbread or pound cake.

BLUE BATTER BLUES

Blueberries may change color when cooked. Acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar, cause the blue pigment in the berries to turn reddish. Blueberries also contain a yellow pigment which, in an alkaline environment, such as a batter with too much baking soda, may give you greenish-blue berries.

To reduce the amount of color streaking, stir your blueberries (right from your freezer, if frozen) into your cake or muffin batter last.

For pancakes and waffles, add the blueberries as soon as the batter has been poured on the griddle or waffle iron. This will make the pancakes prettier and they'll be easier to flip. If frozen blueberries are used, cooking time may have to be increased to be sure the berries are heated through.