Northwest blueberry season is still weeks away, but I’m already waiting and primed. There’s a notebook full of recipe sketches to develop in the OtherWorldly Kitchen. A recipe sketch is a rough idea, such as, blueberry lime compote + white chocolate panna cotta + candied ginger gelée; verrine style. Sometimes it’s just a question, such as, blueberries + dark chocolate + what else?
When I take an idea into the kitchen, everything can, and often does, change. That’s the fun; cooking as art. Begin with an idea or ingredient and let it take you where it will, perhaps somewhere unexpected. Explore the “what if” questions.
Every summer, I work up a few new blueberry dishes and share the best of them with you. To prime your creative juices, here are some of my favorite ways to eat this super juicy, distinctively flavored berry. Check out the Fresh Blueberry Primer first to see the wide range of other ingredients that partner beautifully with blueberries. Maybe try a combination you’ve never tried before.
Everything you need to know, including season, selection, storage, preparation, cooking, and great partners.
Let me state this now, unequivocally and for all time: blueberries and lavender are a flavor pairing made in heaven. Seriously! You have to try a pitcher of this delicious concoction before fresh blueberries disappear completely for another year. I promise you will be glad you did.
Blueberry Lemon Verbena Spritzer with Candied Ginger Ice Cream
Sometimes I forget just how good some of the old-fashioned treats I grew up with really are. Take this ice cream soda for instance. Well, I didn’t really grow up with this particular ice cream soda, but the concept is solid: fizzy soda, ice cream, and an intensely flavored syrup. Now fast forward a few decades and imagine Ginger Beer, muddled lemon verbena and fresh lime, Fresh Blueberry Lime Sauce, and Candied Ginger Gelato. Absolute perfection.
Blueberry, Lime & Rose Petal Cheesecake
My cookbook, Pacific Northwest Palate, Four Seasons of Great Cooking, features a simple version of this seasonal blueberry cheesecake, which is a league beyond the canned blueberry, graham cracker concoction I grew up with–-and adored. This newest version, however, is even better than that much-improved version. I love the way all of the flavors combine here to create a harmonious whole, far greater than the sum of its parts. Blueberries, lime, and rose petals are a marriage made in heaven.
This heavenly, deep violet sauce lends itself to endless flavor variations and can be used in a wide variety of dishes. This article includes recipes for Blueberry, Lime & Rose Petal Sauce, Blueberry, Lime & Lavender Sauce, and Blueberry Lemon-Ginger Sauce.
Spicy Blueberry Ginger Chutney
This deep violet chutney is sweet, tart, spicy hot, and packed with flavor. I especially love it with artisan crackers topped with local cream cheese or farmers cheese. Or as an accompaniment to a savory chèvre or gorgonzola cheesecake.
Additional Blueberry Inspiration
- Almond Corner: Lime Sabayon with Blueberries
- And then I Do the Dishes: Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
- Bakers Royale: Blueberry Nectarine Crosta
- Baking Bites: Blueberry Ebelskiver
- Café Lynnylu: Blueberry Blanc-Manger
- Chocolate & Tea: Blueberry Brownie
- Cook Republic: Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Crepes of Wrath: Mini Blueberry Crisps
- Crumb: Blueberry-Hyssop Ice Cream
- Delicieux: Blueberry & Lemon Tea Cake
- Dlyn: Blueberry Sugar Donut Muffins
- Golubka: Green Mountain Parfait
- Guilty Kitchen: Baked Salmon with Blueberry Sauce
- Kitchen Runway: Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake
- La Mia Vita Dolce: White Chocolate Mousse with Blueberry Compote Parfait
- Pastry Studio: Ginger Cream with Blueberries
- Project Foodie: Nougat Glacé with Blueberries and Pistachio Praline
- Sweet Pea’s Kitchen: Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf
- Sweet Twist of Blogging: Blueberry Goat Cheese Pie
- What’s for Lunch, Honey: Vanilla Poached Plums & Blueberry Granola Goat Cheese Cream Verrines
- Zoe Bakes: Orange Blossom Honey Cake with Fresh Blueberries
Resources
- BC Blueberry Council
- Blueberries: Washington’s Blue Gold
- California Blueberries Continue to Rise in Visibility and Popularity
- Canter-Berry Farms (products available at Pike Place Market)
- Northwest Berry and Grape
- Oregon Blueberries
- Oregon Blueberry Growers Association
- Pick Your Own: All States
- Pick Your Own: Oregon
- Pick Your Own: Washington
- The Blueberry People: Michigan Blueberry Growers Association
- US Highbush Blueberry Council
- Washington Blueberry Commission
- Your Produce Man
About Susan S. Bradley
I’ve been thinking of you lately. I’ve been experimenting with lavender and let’s face it, you are the lavender Goddess! I had so much fun writing the article on lavender and tying it into our local herbalist. I have got to try that blueberry lavender limeade! That looks like “the bomb!” Happy sunny day my dear. It is so pretty down here!
Dana Zia´s last [type] ..A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down
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Susan S. Bradley Reply:
June 4th, 2011 at 12:01 am
Dana, love your post! Those lavender shortbread cookies are calling my name! Lavender Goddess? I like it. Usually I go by Swamp Boogie Queen.
Yes, we must get together and have the lavender limeade with the lavender cookies. That sounds like heaven to me.
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