Cooking

August is the month for blueberries, one of the healthiest fruits or vegetables available, packed with loads of anti-oxidents. And here in Western Maine, we are fortunate that several local people harvest the tiny wild blueberry from their lands.

The cultivated berries, growing on high bushes, are great for munching on, but for cooking, nothing beats the flavor of a Maine wild blueberry.

Our Colonial ancestors discovered that the native populations were preserving them in a variety of ways, such as drying for use during the winter months, when our forefathers and mothers reached the shores of the New World.

From there, dozens of blueberry recipes, mostly sweet and for desserts or breakfast muffins, have evolved. Besides the traditional blueberry pie, crisps and muffins, many, many other recipes use this most wonderful of berries.

One of my favorites is the traditional blueberry cake. It’s easy to create, and tastes delicious whether still warm from the oven, or at room temperature. It may be topped with powdered sugar, or a mixture of granulated sugar and a bit of cinnamon.

Blueberry Cake (9x12-inch pan)

One-half cup shortening

Three-quarters cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

one-half teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen Maine wild blueberries

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift together the dry ingredients and add alternately to the created mixture with the milk. Beat after each addition.

Sprinkle the blueberries with a little flour, then fold into the batter. Grease and flour a baking pan, then bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

This blueberry coffee cake is rich and delicious and is best served warm.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake (9x12” pan)

Batter:

One-half cup sugar

One-half cup shortening

1 beaten egg

one-half cup milk

2 cups flour

one-half teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

Topping I

2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping II

One-third cup sugar

One-third cup flour

One-half teaspoon cinnamon

One-quarter cup cold butter or butter substitute

Sift flour, measure, then sift again with salt and baking powder. Set aside. In a bowl, cream the shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat until light. Add milk and sifted dry ingredients alternately, beating well after each addition. Pour into a greased and floured pan.

For Topping I, stir lemon juice into the blueberries. Place atop batter. For Topping II, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients to make crumbs the size of small peas. Sprinkle over blueberries.

Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour.

And finally, this old-fashioned recipe for a steamed pudding is heavy, sweet and a sample of the blueberry desserts our grandmothers used to make.

Steamed Blueberry Pudding (6-8 servings)

1 and one-half cups fresh Maine blueberries

2 and one-half cups sifted flour

one-quarter cup butter or butter substitute, softened

three-quarters cup sugar

1 egg, well beaten

one-half teaspoon vanilla extract

one-half teaspoon lemon extract

one-half teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Grease a 1-quart mold (or a metal coffee can with aluminum foil as the cover), including the inside of the cover.

Combine blueberries with a little flour.

Cream butter and sugar, then add egg and cream well. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Add flour and milk, to which the baking soda has been added, alternately to the other ingredients. Fold in floured blueberries.

Turn mixture into prepared can or mold. Cover securely with a lid or foil. Place on a rack in a large pot.

Pour boiling water into the pot to within one-inch of the top of the mold or can. Cover the pot.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, and steam for 3 hours, adding more water as is necessary.

When done, remove can or mold from the pot. Remove lid or cover, and run a knife around the edge of the pudding. I use a coffee can, so when it is done, I use a can opener to remove the bottom of the can, then gently push out the pudding onto a plate.

Serve warm with whipped cream.

I may be reached at petsplants@midmaine.com