Help me find the blackberry delicousness, please.

October 27, 2009 1:23 PM

Help me get Seattle-quality blackberries in the NYC area.

Is there anywhere in Manhattan, the outer boroughs, or even Long Island where I can get really great blackberries? I have never found them, in the last ten years, at any store (not even Kirkland and Issaquah-based Costco!). Nothing has come close to the taste off the vine - not tart at all, almost overripe tasting compared to most fruits, somewhat sweet, and very rich & earthy.

I was back in Seattle a couple of months ago and gorged myself on them off the vine, and for the first time made pie with them on my own - and the pies were incredible. I'm hoping to find a source so that I can share the joy of ripe blackberries with my friends and family, and so that I can make delicious pies for fall and winter festivities.

posted by lorrer to food & drink (6 comments total)

Well, the season is over and right now you can get either dehydrated or frozen till the next season which is mid to late August and lasts for a couple of weeks after. You should be able to get them at any decent farmer's market during the season, Sag Harbour's, for example has them and I'm sure others do as well.
posted by watercarrier at 1:41 PM on October 27

regretfully Blackberries in this part of the world just are not very good. I'm not sure if its climate or a different variety or what. They are everywhere at the farmers markets in season - but they are all overly tart. Even wild ones you find in the woods aren't great. Wikipedia is trying to claim most of what gets sold in the NE as Blackberries are actually "Black Raspberries" no idea if this is true.
posted by JPD at 2:06 PM on October 27

There are phenomenal blackberries growing wild in Upstate. You just have to know where and when to pick them.
posted by watercarrier at 2:32 PM on October 27

Blackberries do NOT travel well. This is one reason why Puget Sound blackberries are rarely sold fresh outside of western Washington -- that and with the damn things being weeds in every Seattle greenbelt there's no reason to buy them.

Your best option for blackberries right now? Frozen. At your local grocery. And in all likelihood those berries either came from Upstate or from Washington/Oregon. Fresh the season should match up with the Seattle season -- late July to late August.

Tart berries should be fine for pies and jams.
posted by dw at 4:33 PM on October 27

Agree that the blackberries in NYC aren't that great and that the season is over. However, next summer, around July, I highly encourage you look into the delicious, and very expensive, black raspberries. I like the ones that Berried Treasures sells at the Union Square Greenmarket on Wednesdays and Fridays July through September.
posted by kathryn at 8:23 PM on October 27

Seconding Berried Treasuries for pretty much anything they sell.
posted by JPD at 7:01 AM on October 28