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313recipes
Red, White & Blueberry Pie
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JuliKellner
Juli Kellner
There’s nothing like the feeling of success when the first tiny shoots of my vegetable garden break through the soil. Considering the late arrival of spring here in the frozen north, I consider it something of a miracle that the plants come up at all. Usually those first shoots are found in my row of garden lettuce varieties and are the first veggies my family picks and enjoys.
I can’t say I’ve always enjoyed garden lettuce. Once upon a time, I thought leaf lettuce was a bitter, limp cousin to the crisp heads found in the grocery store. Now that I’ve grown up a bit along with my palate, I love the tastier, more colorful organically grown leaf lettuce that costs dearly in those clear plastic clamshell containers.
Yup, it is the lettuce that is designed to make you poor. Instead of explaining how much I spent at the store – yet again – I’ve taken to the idea of growing my own leaf lettuce. You can, too, perhaps in a container garden just outside your kitchen door.
“Lettuce is easy,” says Michelle LeMasurier of Superior’s Lake Superior Garden Center. “All you need is a container that will hold 10 inches of soil.”
She suggests eye-catching seed mixes featuring arugula and multicolored greens, which will give you a lovely container garden (no weeding) and a palate-pleasing salad.
“Add a small trellis and something climbing in the center of your container,” Michelle suggests. “More and more people are container gardening.”
Depending on the variety you choose, plan on harvesting your lettuce 40 to 60 days after planting.
Of course, while you cultivate and enjoy your salad greens, you can also enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor. Now is a great time to head out to the pick-your-own berry farms.
In Bayfield, you can harvest strawberries beginning in late June through mid-July.
“Raspberries are available starting in early July through mid-August,” says Cari Obst, executive director of the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau. “And you can pick your own blueberries and blackberries in August.”
Take a picnic lunch and make berry-picking part of a gorgeous day in Bayfield.
Berries make a terrific addition to any salad. Or make a fun dessert to balance the wholesomeness of your salad with something truly delicious. Either way, enjoy the deliciousness of our precious short growing season!
Red, White & Blueberry Pie
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries, divided
- 4 squares white chocolate (baker’s bar size)
- 1 pkg. (8-oz.) cream cheese
- 3/4 c. cold milk
- 1 pkg. (3.3-oz.) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
- 1-1/2 c. fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
- 1 c. frozen whipped topping
Pat pie crust into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 425° F for 10 minutes, then cool. Melt white chocolate in the microwave at 10-second intervals until melted. Dip the tips of some of the whole strawberries into the white chocolate to use for garnish. Spread remaining white chocolate over the cooled crust (keeps the crust from becoming soggy). Arrange sliced strawberries over the white chocolate. In a separate bowl, mix milk and pudding into the cream cheese, beat until soft. Pour cream cheese mixture over the strawberries. Layer blueberries over the cream cheese mixture. Top with dollops of whipped topping and garnish with white chocolate-tipped strawberries. Refrigerate until set.
Berry Salad Dressing
- 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 to 4 tsp. raspberry jam (seedless works best!)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Blend and serve or refrigerate to enjoy later. Works nicely on your fresh-from-the-garden leaf lettuce.
Country Blueberry Wine
- 8 qt. blueberries
- 1 5-gal. non-metallic container
- 2 gal. water, divided
- 5 lb. sugar
- 1/2 oz. yeast (2 packages)
Wash berries. Put water into an enamel pot and bring to a boil. Let water boil for a few minutes and then pour over berries. Cover and let stand for 24 hours, mashing the berries a few times.
Strain the juice into an enamel, glass, or plastic container, pressing the berries through a cloth until every drop of juice is out.
Clean the enamel container, or a crock, and pour the juice back into it. Add sugar and dissolve it thoroughly. Heat the liquid to lukewarm.
Dissolve the yeast into 1/2 c. of warm water and pour it into the crock over the juice. Cover and let stand in warm place (65-70F) to ferment. This will take from 10 to 21 days.
When fermentation has ceased (stopped bubbling), strain, clear, and fine. I put it into one-gallon glass jars to settle for the fining (clearing process) for about 10 days to two weeks.
When it is a shining bright purple color, siphon into bottles and cork. Age at least one year before drinking.
Blueberry-Raspberry-Chocolate Cobbler
- 3 c. fresh or frozen Bayfield blueberries (if frozen, thaw before using)
- 1 c. fresh or frozen Bayfield raspberries (if frozen, thaw before using)
- 1 c. sugar, divided
- 2 tbsp. water (if using fresh berries)
- 1/3 c. butter
- 1 c. flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 c. skim milk
- 1/4 c. chocolate syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix berries, 1/4 c. sugar and water (if using fresh berries). Let stand for a few minutes. Melt butter in 9-inch square baking pan in oven. Mix flour, 3/4 c. sugar and baking powder. Stir in milk. Remove pan from oven and spread batter over butter. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Spoon berry mixture, including liquid, over the top. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Strawberry Pizza
Crust:
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1-1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 c. butter
Combine ingredients and press into a pizza pan forming a rim. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.
Base:
- 1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese
- 2/3 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Combine and spread over cooled crust.
Glaze:
- 1 c. strawberry juice
- 1/3-1/2 c. sugar
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 c. strawberries, sliced
Cook until thick and cool. Add strawberries to glaze and spread over cheese layer.
Lake Superior Regional Berry Farms
MICHIGAN
Ostanek’s Strawberries
N 1321 State Rd. 67
Trenary, MI 49891
906-446-3050
Offering pick-your-own strawberries since 1959.
Gierke Blueberry Farm
37915 Klingville Rd.
Chassell, MI 49916
906-523-6112
www.gierkeblueberryfarm.blogspot.com
Blueberries, pick-your-own or ready-picked, open dawn to dusk during blueberry season.
Centennial Cranberry Farm of Michigan
30957 West Wildcat Rd.
Paradise, MI 49768
877-333-1822
Farm tours, ready-picked fresh cranberries and a variety of cranberry products available. Fresh cranberries can be purchased online in October.
Hughes Farm
53206 Golf Course Road
Calumet, MI 49913
906-337-5185
Pick-your-own and ready-picked strawberries from late June through July. Farmer’s market held at the farm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from late July to October.
The Raspberry Lady
Mary Collins
609 M-94
Skandia, MI 49885
906-942-7728
Raspberries available at the farm from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during raspberry season. Sign up to be notified when berries are available. Open mid-July to mid-August.
MINNESOTA
Finke’s Berry Farm
2331 County Road 4
Carlton, MN 55718
218-384-4432
Pick-your-own strawberries, or they can have ready-picked berries ready for those who call ahead.
Shary’s Berries
1651 Two Harbors Rd.
Two Harbors, MN 55616
218-834-5221
Pick-your-own blueberries, with ready-picked blueberries and raspberries available for purchase.
ONTARIO
Belluz Farms
R.R. 6752 Candy Mountain Drive
Thunder Bay, ON P7C 5N5
807-475-5184
Pick-your-own or ready-picked gooseberries, strawberries and raspberries.
Honeybrook Farm
76 Chiblow Lake Road
Iron Bridge, ON
705-843-0867
Ready-picked strawberries and raspberries from Honeybrook Farm are available for purchase at Sault Ste. Marie farmer’s market.
WISCONSIN
Blue Vista Farm
34045 County Hwy J
Bayfield, WI 54814
Pick-your-own or ready-picked blueberries and raspberries.
Highland Valley Farm
87080 Valley Rd.
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5446
Pick-your-own or ready-picked blueberries, raspberries and currants.
Erickson’s Orchard
86600 Betzold Road
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5438
Bayfield, WI
Pick-your-own or ready-picked strawberries.
Hillcrest Orchard and Antiques
35025 County Hwy I
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5756
Pick-your-own or ready-picked berries.
Great Oak Farm
28100 Maple Ridge Rd.
Mason, WI
715-765-4297
Strawberries and raspberries available.
Mommsen’s Produce Patch
1696 County Highway SS
Rice Lake, WI 54868
715-234-5665
Pick-your-own strawberries.
Good Earth Gardens
87185 County Hwy J
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5564
Blackberries, gooseberries, red and black currants and blueberries.
Homestead Gardens
77065 Hwy 13
Washburn, WI 54891
715-373-2770
Strawberries and raspberries available.
Rabideaux’s Bayfield Fruit Company
35465 County Hwy J
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5509
Strawberries and raspberries available.
Silver Sage Farm & Flowers
81995 Arney Rd.
Port Wing, WI 54865
715-774-3572
www.silversagefarmandflowers.com
Blueberries and raspberries available.
