Anna Rubingh - Blackberries & Elderberries

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When the summer comes to an end and autumn slowly starts, the hedges around our farm fields fill up with berries. Blackberries darken up in the late summer sunshine and elder trees get heavy with bunches of black berries. Picking them on a beautiful day is one of the most relaxed and mindful jobs of the year. Sometimes stretching out to get that one juicy, shiny berry that is almost out of reach. Leaving enough berries, of course, for birds, insects, and small animals to feast on.

Back in the kitchen I make sticky chocolate brownies with blackberries and creamy elderberry yoghurt or a super easy to make blackberry clafoutis. Or I use blackberries combined with apple and roasted beetroot in a salad with pecorino and hazelnuts and balsamic dressing or pot roast a chicken with blackberries, elderberries, mushrooms, and thyme.

For dessert, I love to make a crumble with apples and blackberries with an oats and hazelnut crumble served with creamy cardamom custard. Or a super easy sponge with blackberries and apple and flaked almonds on top.

And if there are still berries left, I preserve the taste of early autumn in elderberry and blackberry jam and elderberry and apple jam. Or make blackberry and elderberry brandy spiced with warm flavors and keep it for Christmas.