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ee also: Article on Gooseberries

Gooseberry, Gooseberries

Gooseberries taste of a sweet tangy mixture of pineapple and strawberry.  The fruits make an interesting addition to salads, cooked dishes, and as a garnish.

--Cook with apples or ginger to make a distinctive dessert.
--Try drying the fruit to make a tasty treat. Add gooseberries to your favorite salad.
--Introduce it to others by using it as a garnish.
--Make it into jam.

SELECTION - Choose hard, dry berries, with a rich sheen. If you are looking for less tartness, head for the pinkish or purplish tones. Look for those with a bright golden color; green berries are not ripe. However, pick gooseberries green for pies and jams.

STORAGE - Gooseberries store well and will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They should turn pinker and softer during their time in storage. Once they turn purple, the fruit is still good for purees for another week.

PREPARATION - Gooseberries vary is their bitterness. Some varieties are too bitter to eat raw, so taste one first. The less-bitter varieties of gooseberries are often added to fruit salads or used as garnish for dessert plates. To use the berries, peel back the parchment-like husk and rinse. Remove the stems and tops with scissors before eating or cooking. Gooseberries may be poached and eaten cooked or added to sugar or syrup for a sauce. To retain the shape of the berry, poach slowly. They are done when the seeds have escaped and the skins collapse.
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