HEDGEROWS and woodlands will soon be teeming with blackberries, ripe for picking.
A trip out foraging is a cheap and fun way to get into nature — plus kids love it.
But remember, no trespassing on private land, take no more than you need and leave enough for the wildlife, too.
Here are some ideas of what to do with the fruits of your labour . . .
BRAMBLE WHISKY: To follow this recipe, from the Woodland Trust, first put your berries in a sealable jar and add about a tenth of their volume in granulated sugar.
Then simply top up with basic whisky, not a premium brand. Leave the concoction for six months in a cool, dark area, giving it an occasional shake.
After this time, strain the liquid from the blackberries. Taste and add a little more sugar if desired. You can sip neat or mix with soda water and lemonade.
And don’t throw the blackberries away. Mix them with ice cream for a delicious dessert.
CRUMBLE: You can’t beat a tasty homemade crumble. Follow this adapted Tesco Food recipe to create your own.
First, mix 200g of blackberries with 750g of chopped apple, plus one tablespoon each of flour and brown sugar.
Separately, combine 70g of brown sugar, three tablespoons of flour, 50g of oats and 75g of soft unsalted butter. Scatter over the fruit and bake for 45 minutes until golden. Serves four.
TOASTIE: If you love a savoury and sweet combination, why not try adding blackberries to a cheese toastie with this recipe from Asda.
Butter two slices of bread, lie them butter side down and crush the blackberries lightly on each. Top with grated Gruyere cheese and put together, butter sides out.
Fry the sandwich for two or three minutes on each side, until the butter is melted, and serve.
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