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Recipe of the Week: Plenty of blueberries at local farms

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Color July blue for the outstanding blueberry crop at local farms.

The strawberry crop was late and not as tasty as in previous years thanks to a cold, wet spring. But farms that grow blueberries are reporting there is plenty of the antioxidant-rich fruit this season.

You can pick your own berries at Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury, which is owned by Gary and Amy Manoff, as well as at Solebury Orchards in Solebury and Terhune Orchards outside Princeton, N.J.

The crop is “bountiful and delicious,” reports Amy Manoff, who says people should get their berries as soon as they can. “We have six varieties that are ripening fairly close together,” she said, so the season may not last as long as it has in previous years.

Blueberries are an easy fruit; you can cook and bake with them, and you don’t have to worry about peeling or chopping. In addition to smoothies and jams, they are good in muffins, cobblers, crisps and sauces. But we know them best in pies, whether we use only blueberries or mix in some peaches or raspberries.

The first documented recipe for the blueberry pie appeared in the Appledore Cook Book in 1872, so if you make pies this season you will be part of a longstanding American tradition.

The blueberry will be celebrated this weekend at the Bluegrass & Blueberries Festival at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska and at Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards. Also a winery, Terhune uses some of its blueberries to make blueberry wine.

Bethlehem’s Blueberry Festival is scheduled for July 16 and 17 at the Burnside Plantation. It will feature blueberry beers and wines as well as blueberry foods as well as a pie-eating contest.

If you feel like making a pie, here is an easy recipe from food.com. Use a store-bought pie crust if you want to make it even easier.

Blueberry Crumb Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

FILLING:

4 cups fresh blueberries

¾ cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon orange juice or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

TOPPING:

½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375°F

Place pie crust into pie pan and crimp edges as desired.

In a mixing bowl, combine all filling ingredients gently. Pour evenly into pie plate. Combine flour and sugar for topping and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I use my fingers for this). Sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until filling starts to bubble and crust is lightly browned. Cover edges with foil if crust is browning too quickly.


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