Chainey Briars

We were on the North Carolina coast this past week and good friends had us over for dinner. Larry was doing a flounder in parchment from a Lee Brothers’ cookbook. I have the book from several years back but have never cooked from it. My friend said he was to use chainey briars but had substituted asparagus. I had never heard of chainey briars. This picked my curiosity. They are apparently cat briars by another name and found along the Carolina coast especially the low country of South Carolina. We are on the northern edge of that culture (think rice, palm trees, gulla-gechee, and alligators) and we were at our beach house and I decided to do some foraging; not hard since the chainey briars are all over the bushes beside the path that leads to the beach. I cut several and used them in several ways the next few days.

The September 2014 issue of ‘Garden and Gun’ has an article on chainey briars. They note that they are also called catbrier, bull briar, and greenbrier. It is the curly green native vine Smilax bona-nox, readily identifiable by the spade-shaped leaves that distinguish it from the other vines in the same terrain. One uses the tender ends of the vines and can eat them raw. It can be grilled, quickly blanched or sautéed in olive oil. They note that the community cookbooks of the rural sea islands, like Edisto and Yonges, use them in recipes. It does not show up even in farmer’s markets so you will have to forage for it. If you are going to the beach this summer, no problem. One can use the smilax growing in our woods and byways but the soft tips are harder to harvest as they are usually up in the trees. They say that chainey briar was once common in home kitchens.

At McCrady’s, one of Charleston’s premier white tablecloth restaurants, the chef, Daniel Heinze, grills it and tosses it with watercress stems, serving it like a salad, with a tarragon puree and green tomato marmalade.

Grilled Chainey Briar by Daniel Heinze, ‘Garden and Gun’ September 2014

Ingredients

20 chainey briar shoots

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

20 watercress stems

1 green tomato, thinly sliced

1 fresh lemon

Preparation

Lightly coat chainey briar with olive oil and salt and pepper. Cook over a charcoal grill until tender, about 1-2 minutes. Toss watercress stems, green tomato, and chainey briar in a mixing bowl, and season with lemon, oil, salt, and pepper.

 

Another Charleston chef, Slightly North of Broad’s Frank Lee has been picking it for twenty years from a path to the beach where he lives. At home he blanches the shoots in salt water---literally for seconds---and gives them a quick toss with olive oil and garlic in a skillet. At the restaurant he tosses the blanched chainey briar with a vinaigrette and uses the cold salad as a garnish for hanger steak or soft-shell crabs. He does admit the name is a problem. When we put greenbrier shoots on the menu, our guests don’s know what to think. If we call it wild asparagus, there’s no problem.

There are 300 or more species of smilax in the world, 20 native to the eastern US. They are known as greenbrier, catbrier, bull brier, chinabrier and in Spanish, zarza parilla. The root has been used to make sarsaparilla. The name derives from the Greeks. Unrequieted love of Krokus and the wood nymph nymph, Smilax, resulted in the gods turning them into the flower crocus and the vine smilax.

When Edna Lewis was the chef at Middleton Place Restaurant near Charleston she served a signature dish, flounder in parchment with shaved vegetables. The Lee brothers give her credit in their cook book.

Flounder in Parchment with Shaved Vegetables (Shaved Radish and Chainey Briar), The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, by Matt Lee & Ted Lee

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Kosher salt

2 ounces chainey briar (or about 3 stalks asparagus, shaved lengthwise with a vegetable peeler)

2 ounces radishes (about 3), shaved with a vegetable peeler

4 sheets parchment paper, about 13 x 16 inches

4 (4 to 6 ounce) fillets skinless flounder or other tender white-fleshed fish, such as sole or snapper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pats

1 lemon, cut into 8 slices

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg white

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. In a shallow bowl, whisk the olive oil with the white wine, white wine vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the chainey briar with the radishes, toss to coat with the dressing, and reserve.

3. For each of the fillets, fold the parchment paper in half lengthwise so it opens like a book, with the seam at the left. Place a fillet with its leftmost, longest edge in the crease of the seam and centered vertically. Season each fillet with 2 pinches of salt. Place 2 pats of butter and 2 slices of lemon on top of each fillet. Grind some black pepper over the fish.

4. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the three open edges of the bottom layer of parchment with the wash, and lay the top side of parchment over the fish top. Press on the edges of the parchment to seal. Lift the bottom left corner of the parchment up, and fold it over crisply to create a small triangular fold. Then place your index finger in the center of the long edge of that fold. Continue folding the edge of the paper from the middle of the previous fold until you have sealed up the fish in a half-moon-shape package.

5. When all the parchment packages are sealed, put them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes. Toss the chainey briar and radishes again in the dressing, then cut each package open. Working quickly, remove the lemon slices (if desired) and strew a portion of the chainey briar and radishes over the fish, and serve immediately, placing each packet of fish directly on a dinner plate.

 

 

 

 

Memorial Day 2017

For most of us Memorial Day is a celebration of a three-day weekend, but much like other federal holidays, it all started with a purpose that had nothing to do with backyards or hot dogs.

Memorial Day (originally called Decoration Day) started after the American Civil war to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers who died serving in the armed forces. Before the war ended, women from both sides decorated the graves of fallen soldiers, but there was no official day for recognition.

Toward the end of the war, following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865, there were many more ceremonies held to honor fallen soldiers. The first widely publicized commemoration was held in May of 1865 in Charleston, SC, but Boalsburg, PA claims to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, having started decoration soldier’s graves in 1864. By 1868, May 30^th was selected as Decoration Day and ceremonies at hundreds of cemeteries were held across the United States.

By the end of World War II, the holiday expanded to honor all soldiers who died while serving in the United States’ armed forces. Memorial Day was declared the official name in 1968, but it wasn’t until 1971 that the law went into effect to move the holiday to the last Monday in May, resulting in a three day weekend.

From the beginning flowers have been a symbol of Memorial Day, graves of soldiers were decorated with flowers to honor them. For Memorial day in 1951, the Boy Scouts of America, started the tradition of placing American flags on each of the 150,000 graves at the Jefferson National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO. The idea spread and since the late 1950s flags have been placed at Arlington National Cemetery every Memorial Day. All American flags are supposed to be flown at half-staff until noon when raised, but it is unclear of any symbolism of the gesture beyond tradition.

When thinking of my picnic supplies I had the treat of eating some delicious potato salad which I purchased from Vine’s. This local store has all sorts of meats and are known for their deer processing and deer sausages. They sell groceries, gas, prepared food for take-out or eat-in, whatever. When I went down to get the recipe, I found that they buy it from a company in big containers, and put it in smaller containers and put their label on it. I was not going to find a recipe for this really good potato salad so I had to get working on my own.

What I did know was that it was a baked potato salad, with some bacon and a creamy dressing. So here is my version of what I would call the best potato salad I have eaten. I think the secret is baking the potatoes and leaving a little of the peel on. You could add any other powder (garlic or onion) to your taste. This should be a hit at you Memorial Day picnic.

 

Baked Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6 Idaho potatoes (baked)

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

6 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chives (cut)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bakes the potatoes; cool slightly; peel

Dice into a bowl.

Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together; set aside.

Fry the bacon and crumble.

Add the bacon, cheese, chives, salt, and pepper to the potato.

Mix in the mayonnaise mixture to the potato mixture.

Toss gently.

I added more chives to decorate.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

 

 

 

For most of us Memorial Day is a celebration of a three-day weekend, but much like other federal holidays, it all started with a purpose that had nothing to do with backyards or hot dogs.

Memorial Day (originally called Decoration Day) started after the American Civil war to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers who died serving in the armed forces. Before the war ended, women from both sides decorated the graves of fallen soldiers, but there was no official day for recognition.

Toward the end of the war, following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865, there were many more ceremonies held to honor fallen soldiers. The first widely publicized commemoration was held in May of 1865 in Charleston, SC, but Boalsburg, PA claims to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, having started decoration soldier’s graves in 1864. By 1868, May 30^th was selected as Decoration Day and ceremonies at hundreds of cemeteries were held across the United States.

By the end of World War II, the holiday expanded to honor all soldiers who died while serving in the United States’ armed forces. Memorial Day was declared the official name in 1968, but it wasn’t until 1971 that the law went into effect to move the holiday to the last Monday in May, resulting in a three day weekend.

From the beginning flowers have been a symbol of Memorial Day, graves of soldiers were decorated with flowers to honor them. For Memorial day in 1951, the Boy Scouts of America, started the tradition of placing American flags on each of the 150,000 graves at the Jefferson National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO. The idea spread and since the late 1950s flags have been placed at Arlington National Cemetery every Memorial Day. All American flags are supposed to be flown at half-staff until noon when raised, but it is unclear of any symbolism of the gesture beyond tradition.

When thinking of my picnic supplies I had the treat of eating some delicious potato salad which I purchased from Vine’s. This local store has all sorts of meats and are known for their deer processing and deer sausages. They sell groceries, gas, prepared food for take-out or eat-in, whatever. When I went down to get the recipe, I found that they buy it from a company in big containers, and put it in smaller containers and put their label on it. I was not going to find a recipe for this really good potato salad so I had to get working on my own.

What I did know was that it was a baked potato salad, with some bacon and a creamy dressing. So here is my version of what I would call the best potato salad I have eaten. I think the secret is baking the potatoes and leaving a little of the peel on. You could add any other powder (garlic or onion) to your taste. This should be a hit at you Memorial Day picnic.

 

Baked Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6 Idaho potatoes (baked)

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

6 slices bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled)

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh chives (cut)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bakes the potatoes; cool slightly; peel

Dice into a bowl.

Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together; set aside.

Fry the bacon and crumble.

Add the bacon, cheese, chives, salt, and pepper to the potato.

Mix in the mayonnaise mixture to the potato mixture.

Toss gently.

I added more chives to decorate.

Refrigerate and serve cold.

 

 

 

Spring Peas

At church on a recent Sunday a parishioner said he was sending broccoli, new potatoes, etc. to market. I mentioned we had peas, peas, peas. “Too early for peas,” he said. No, not field peas which people usually refer to here in the Deep South when we talk of peas. We have English peas, edible podded or snap peas and snow peas. I like the edible podded peas for salads, sautéed in butter, and stir fries. Fresh shelled peas can be eaten raw in salads as well and are also great sautéed in butter. I sautéed edible podded and shelled peas in butter with mint for a great side the other night---quick and so simple.

I don’t notice fresh English peas in the markets and most recipes call for frozen peas, as they do freeze well. So for sweet fresh peas you may need to grow your own. I am growing two varieties this year: Knight, a short-vined early maturing pea, and Tall Telephone, an heirloom from 1891 which climbs 4-5’ (which means they have to be staked but you do not have to stoop to harvest) and produce some large pods and large peas. I am also growing sugar snap as an edible podded pea which is tall also, so no stooping to pick. I like edible podded peas better than the thinner snow peas. Pick the edible podded early if you wish them thin. The mint is nearby in the garden so when I pick peas it is nearby. I have a permanent fence on which the peas can climb.

If you can buy the fresh peas in the store, do so. If not, consider trying them next year in the garden. Plant in February. They can tolerate light frosts. I do not find planting them for a fall harvest is rewarding. The heat seems to last just too long and my peas don’t perform.

I tried a one-skillet dish using peas and asparagus, with the use of a grass-fed New York strip. Not a bad meal especially when the sauce for the steak was a spicy mustard. This meal gets all your good stuff in one skillet, this one cast iron. Worth a try!

 

One-Skillet Steak and Spring Vegetables with Spicy Mustard

From ‘bon appétit’ April 2017

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound grass-fed boneless New York strip steak, patted dry

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

5 garlic cloves, 1 grated, 4 thinly sliced

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1-2 pinches cayenne pepper

1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, divided

10 ounces fresh peas, or 1 10-ounce bag frozen peas

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

Season steak all over with salt and pepper.

Whisk grated garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, cayenne, 1/3 cup oil, and 1 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl to combine; season spicy mustard with salt and pepper.

Heat a dry medium skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Rub steak all over with 1 Tbsp. oil and cook, turning every 2 minutes or so and making sure to get color on the fat cap, until medium-rare (about 10 minutes). Transfer steak to a plate to rest. Pour off oil from skillet, leaving crispy bits behind.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over low. Add sliced garlic and all but about 2 Tbsp. scallions (save those for serving) and cook, stirring often, until translucent and softened, about 3 minutes. Add peas and a splash of water and cook, stirring and mashing to break up slightly, until peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice steak and shingle over vegetables in skillet. Drizzle some mustard sauce over steak and top with reserved scallions. Serve with remaining mustard sauce alongside.

 

 

Mothers' Day 2017

It has been a while since I discussed the origin of Mother’s Day and thought it was time for a refresher.

Ann Jarvis, in 1907, wanted to establish a National Mother’s Day in honor of her mother who worked in West Virginia to improve the health and sanitary conditions of that state before the civil war. During the war she declared neutrality for her organizations and regularly aided soldiers in need on both sides of the struggle. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second anniversary of her mother’s death, which happened to be on the second Sunday of May.

Not content to rest on her laurels, Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother’s Day, and in 1912, the Mother’s Day International Association was incorporated for the purpose of promising the day and its observance. In 1914, President Wilson made it official by proclaiming it a National holiday to be held on the second Sunday in May.

In planning my menu for Mother’s Day I could not help but see the nice appetizer in the May issue of ‘Southern Living’ using deviled eggs and asparagus. Also since we have snow peas galore I choose my favorite snow pea recipe which I had used before but is good enough to use again.

Happy Mother’s Day!

‘Southern Living’ May 2017

Deviled Egg Salad and Asparagus Tartines (an open faced sandwich)

Serves 8

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh dill

1 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh chives

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tsp. dill pickle brine or fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. hot sauce

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. black pepper

1 lb. asparagus

3 Tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature

8 white sandwich bread slices, crusts removed, toasted

Using a fork, finely crush eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in next 9 ingredients.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut tip ends of asparagus spears into 4-inch lengths (the same length as the bread slices); reserve remaining spears for another use. Cook asparagus tips in boiling water until tender-crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute; drain. Place in ice water; drain and pat dry.

Spread the butter evenly on toasted bread slices; cut bread slices in half lengthwise. Spread egg mixture evenly over butter; top with 2 or 3 asparagus tips. Serve immediately, or cover with damp paper towels, and chill up to 1 hour.

 

Rice Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Mint and Lime

6 servings

Bring to a boil in a small saucepan 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt.

Stir in 1 ½ cups rice, reduce heat to low, cover 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork and cool completely in a large bowl.

Cook in boiling salted water, 2 cups sugar snap peas, for one minute. Dain and rinse under cold water.

Mix into rice:

½ cup chopped fresh mint leave

½ cup chopped green onions

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons julienned peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

Cooked sugar snap peas

Salt and pepper to taste

Delicious and decorated with flowers and mint; it is a winner.

 

 

Weekend Tenderloin Tapa, Spiced

As my husband and I continue on our low-carb diet I am looking for ways to prepare meats and vegetables. I received a new magazine called ‘Milk Street’, named after a street in Boston, and founded by Christopher Kimball who founded Cook’s magazine in 1980. It is a magazine of techniques and methods but I find these very useful as I continue on my cooking journey.

In the U.S. we have reduced tapas to almost anything served in a small plate, but in Spain it is as much about the experience as the food---simple bites with big, friendly flavors, consumed with others. These pork tapas are from the Basque region of Spain, where skewered meats are a common pintxos, as tapas are known there. Loosely translated as “Moorish bites impaled on thorns or small pointed sticks,” pinchos morunos is a dish of seared pork tenderloin rubbed with a blend of spices, garlic, herbs and olive oil. The recipe dates back generations, boasting influences from Spain and North Africa.

This tenderloin is cut into small cubes, so it cooks quickly. It gets deep flavor in little time from a seasoning rub. Classic versions skewer the meat, which is seasoned with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend. This recipe does not use the ras el hanout which can be found in most grocery stores these days but went with a blend of cumin, coriander, and black pepper. A bit of smoked paprika added a Basque touch. Adding a bit of honey worked well with the pork. The beauty of this little tapas is it can be served over rice, served in lettuce cups, or with some steamed or roasted vegetables.

I loved this recipe because it was fast and tasty and something different from your usual pork. Good enough for company! It would be perfect for a cocktail pickup at a Kentucky Derby party or a Cinco di Mayo party.

 

From ‘Milk Street’ Magazine, Charter Issue, Fall 2016

Pinchos Morunos

(Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites)

Serves 4

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

¾ teaspoon each kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-to-1 ½ -inch pieces

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedge for serving

1 tablespoon honey

1 large garlic clove, finely grated

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

In a medium bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the pork and toss to coat evenly, massaging the spices into the meat until no dry rub remains. Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey and garlic. Set aside.

In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until just smoking. Add the meat in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, another 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, pour the lemon juice-garlic mixture over the meat and toss until evenly coated, then transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the oregano over the pork and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts season is coming to an end, according to my husband, so I thought I could get in this last article before it ended. They do not do well for us in the garden, but we do love seeing them in the stores when in season.

Done well, roasted Brussels sprouts shine with a balance of sweet and savory, but nailing that perfect balance calls for a long stay in a hot oven. Even if you are willing to put in the time you can be disappointed because they can become bitter and dry.

I found a new way to do these sprouts which uses less time and lets them turn out properly charred and delicious. The secret is a cast-iron pan. The pan takes some time to heat up, so you have some time to make a simple sauce to go over the Brussels sprouts. The sprouts are tossed in olive oil and a little honey to boost the flavor and retain their moisture. Also the use of garlic and anchovies added a meaty flavor to the sprouts. Adding some honey at the end of the cooking locks in the moisture and makes the sprouts tenderer.

You must use a cast-iron skillet since a stainless steel skillet does not hold the heat well enough to properly char. You need a 12 inch skillet so they will have plenty of space. Use small to medium sprouts since the big ones take too long to cook. If you do this you will have a wonderful Brussels sprouts recipe that you can use over and over. They are really good!

 

Charred Brussels sprouts

Serves 4

Start to finish: 25 minutes

1 pound small to medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 teaspoons honey

Kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 anchovy fillets, minced

Red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 teaspoons of honey and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

In a 12 inch cast-iron skillet, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, anchovies and ¼ teaspoon of pepper flakes. Set over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the mixture, including the liquid, into a bowl and set aside.

Return the skillet to high heat. Add the sprouts (reserve the bowl) and use tongs to arrange them cut side down in a single layer. Cook, without moving, until deeply browned and blackened in spots, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on your skillet. Use the tongs to flip the sprouts cut side up and cook until charred and just tender, another 3 to 5 minutes.

As they finish, return the sprouts to the bowl and toss with the garlic mixture, the remaining 2 teaspoons of honey and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper flakes.

 

 

 

 

Dewberries

When the dewberries come in you really know it is spring. I was reading an article about dewberries written about 10 years ago and the title was, “Are dewberries worth the trouble?” The dewberry picker who has just finished a morning rooting through brambles only feels like it is worth it if there is a dewberry cobbler within a few hours of picking!

Although the berry is smart enough to have survived for centuries in the wild, it cannot survive the modern fruit packing process. Dewberries are a cousin of the blackberry, and long admired for their tenacity and sweetness. The thick and thorny brambles are usually found on untended land, like the right side of way along state roads and railroad tracks, and often have a healthy collection of worms, fire ants, spiders, and spittlebugs. (Add barbed wire on our farm.)

At the start of the 20^th century, the berry was well known and loved. Texas began including the dewberries along with blackberries in the 1900 census, and the crop increased over the next 30 years, especially far north and along the sandy eastern counties.

During the 1940’s, Texas moved almost 3.5 million quarts of the two berries each year, but the crop slowly declined when packing became more prominent after World War II. Even though the dewberry is sweeter and larger than the blackberry, the dewberry fell out of favor as supermarkets began selling frozen or canned produce, or even fresh fruit out of season.

Southern dewberries, or rubus trivialis, are often called running blackberries because their vines creep along the ground, continually replanting and regrowing without help. Although dewberries were always around, they did not begin to grow rampant on these shores until the first European settlers deforested parts of the land for pasture, clearing the way for the brambles to grow.

William Shakespeare has the first know reference to the work “dewberry” in his comedic fantasy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, when the fairy queen Titania falls into a love potion-induced spell for the foolish weaver Nick Bottom, whose head –unknown to him-has been tuned into the head of an ass. “Be kind and courteous to this gentleman, “she tells her fairies. “Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes; feed him with apricocks and dewberries, with purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries.”

The English did not particularly care for the dewberry. The language of flowers was a Victorian fancy in which every plant represented a different attribute combined to create a symbolic code; roses meant love and pansies meant thoughts. Dewberry brambles meant lowliness, envy or remorse---although the only real remorse comes from the lowliness and envy of not having any.

The origin of the name is unknown. Some think it is a version of “doveberry,” the traditional German name for the fruit. Others are more romantic, citing dewberries as the only berry dark enough to reflect the morning sky when covered with dew.

The only true thing that can be said of the dewberry is that it can only be enjoyed through a bit of inconvenience. So when my husband comes in hot and a little scratched up, I am ever thankful for that basket of berries. It is perhaps a rare example of country living that still exists.

We mainly eat dewberries out of the basket but sometimes with some cream. The dewberry cobbler is a treat. The season lasts about three weeks or so. We pick them fresh every day or two.

Dewberry Cobbler

Makes 6 servings

4 tablespoons butter

4 cups dewberries

¾ cup sugar, plus ½ cup for the berries

¾ cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

¾ cup milk

Juice and zest of 1 small lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a baking dish and melt in the oven.

In a large bowl, toss dewberries with ½ cup sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix ¾ cup sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk to dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour into baking dish. Add fruit, but do not stir. Bake about 1 hour or until cooked. Cover baking dish with foil if top browns too quickly. Serve with cream or ice cream.