BLUEBERRY BLAST

Ernie Jackson, left, sold blueberries at the Mid-America Teen Challenge fruit stand to Cindy Olson and her daughter, Bethany, 5.

These blueberries are ready for picking.

Blueberries from Mid-America Teen Challenge are available locally.

Some are sweet, some may be tart. Degrees of reds and blues are among their hues. Nature's berries, in myriad colors, textures and shapes, sparkle with taste whether eaten fresh from the patch or used as the main ingredient in a prepared dish.

Growing in clusters on thornless, shrub-like bushes, the blueberry may not get the attention that some of its more splashy counterparts receive, but those who have discovered the tasty treats typically come back for more.

"Lots of my customers have never eaten a fresh blueberry," noted Linda Whitener. She and her husband Henry are owners of Trace Creek Blues, a you-pick blueberry farm in the Glen Allen community.

When customers taste a fresh blueberry for the first time, the reaction, Whitener said, is most always that of a pleasant surprise. "They're juicy but they're not messy and they're sweet," she said of her favorite berries.

The blueberry season, which opened this year a bit later than usual, is expected to extend through most of July. The tasty fruit can be found in many places, including you-pick farms, produce departments and road-side stands like that of Mid-America Teen Challenge on Independence.

For those inclined to forage, blueberries boast another big plus. Whitener said her first-time customers are "always pleasantly surprised about how they're picked."

"They're easy, easy," chuckled Ronnie Hershey of Highland Blueberry Farm near Perryville. The ease with which blueberries are picked transfers to the kitchen, she explained. "You can just take your berries home and put them in the refrigerator and they'll last 10 to 14 days or so without you having to do anything," Hershey said.

"They're easy to take care of," Linda Whitener agreed. "You don't have to do any processing. They freeze like marbles if they're dry. You rinse them when you're ready to use them," she explained.

Hershey observed that it's the ease with which blueberries can be moved from the field to the freezer to the table that is helping boost the berry's popularity.

However, preparation pluses are not the only advantages blueberries offer, she noted, explaining, "Blueberries are extremely high in vitamins A and C, and they're very high in potassium and iron."

"A cup of blueberries normally has less than 90 calories; it's a very healthy fruit to have," Hershey said.

In their 14th year of producing blueberries in their you-pick operation, Ronnie and husband Bob Hershey are charter members of the Missouri Blueberry Council. Bob Hershey serves as district director, while Ronnie Hershey is secretary-treasurer of the organization.

Ronnie Hershey estimated that there are about 40 blueberry growers in the state.

Rosie and Charles Stadelbacher are among the blueberry growers in neighboring Southern Illinois. Across the Mississippi from the Hersheys and the Whiteners, in Cobden, Ill., blueberries are a feature these days at the Stadelbachers' aptly named, you-pick Blueberry Hill Farm.

Rosie Stadelbacher offered a few preparation tips. Lemon juice, she said, enhances the taste of blueberries in baked or heated dishes.

For a great ice cream topper, she said, "Put blueberries in a saucepan with a little waiter, bring them to a boil, add about a cup of sugar and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Thicken with some corn starch and it makes a really good sauce."

Recipes featuring blueberries abound and range from the traditional to the more unusual, such as blueberry tea, soup or even barbecue sauce.

"A lot of my customers, in the winter, will take them out of the freezer and put them in cereal," Linda Whitener said. "You can eat them like candy almost."

The you-pick farms named here make available the supplies pickers need to gather their blueberries. Pickers are advised to bring their own hats and sunscreen. The you-pick farm owners also noted that it's a good idea to call ahead, just to double-check on conditions.

To find Trace Creek Blues from the Cape Girardeau area, travel Highway 34 west about 10 miles past Marble Hill. Turn right on Route DD, travel four miles, then turn left on County Road 828. Take the first driveway on the right. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays, Trace Creek Blues hours are 7 a.m. until dark. Their phone number is 573-238-2878.

From Cape Girardeau, travel Interstate 55 north and exit on Route B. Then travel west on Route O for just over six and a half miles, turn right onto County Road 616 and travel for about a mile. Closed on Monday, hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Their number is 573-547-4448.

The Stadelbacher's Blueberry Hill Farm is located between Carbondale and Anna, on Route 51. They are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Their number if 618-893-2397.

Fresh Facts:

-- Pack blueberries in moisture-proof wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately to maintain peak quality.

-- Wash blueberries just before using, not before storage in the refrigerator.

-- Color, which may be blue, black, bluish-black or purple, is the key to ripeness. Look for berries that have a uniform color.

-- Blueberries usually have a grayish waxy deposit on the skin, which is called "bloom." The amount of bloom present depends on the variety of the berry.

-- From the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Missouri.

FROM THE KITCHEN

Freezer Blueberry Pie Filling

12 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon peel

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup cornstarch

Sort and wash blueberries. Combine sugar and cornstarch thoroughly in a large saucepan. Stir in blueberries and let stand until juice begins to flow, approximately 30 minutes. Add lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Pour into freezer jars or containers. Seal, label and place in 0-degree freezer. Yield: Approximately five pints.

Blueberry 'N' Spice Bread Pudding

3 cups soft white bread cubes (4 slices bread)

2 cups fresh blueberries

3 eggs

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread cubes and blueberries in buttered 9-inch square baking pan; mix well. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs; stir in remaining ingredients. Pour evenly over bread cubes and blueberries, completely moistening bread. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Serve warm or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Fresh Fruit Tart

approximately 2 cups sliced strawberries

approximately 2 cups blueberries

1 prepared pie crust, baked

Mix 2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese and honey to taste

Melt 4 oz. currant or apple jelly

Arrange sliced fruit in concentric circle on cream cheese mixture that has been spread on baked crust. Melt jelly on stove and brush on prepared tart with pastry brush. Allow to set. Garnish with homemade whipped cream and confectioner's sugar and a sprig of fresh mint if desired.

Blueberry Creme Brulie

This extra rich custard is very classic and impressive yet simple to make

Wash blueberries thoroughly (about 1 cup) and drop into the bottom of 6 oz. egg custard cups.

You will need:

1/2 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

3 whole eggs

3/4 tbsp. vanilla

1/4 tbsp. almond extract

1/4 tbsp. salt

2 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half

Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond extract and salt until frothy, set aside.

In saucepan, take dairy and bring to boil. Take from heat.

Take egg mixture and pour 1/2 of scalded cream mixture into it, this will temper it so that the eggs will not curdle. Stir in remaining cream and place back on stove. Cook on medium until it coats back of wooden spoon. With this stage remove from stove and pour itno eggs cups. Position eggs cups into hot water bath and place in oven. Cook until set (approximately 45 minutes). Custard should "wiggle" in middle a bit. Remove from stove and place in cool water bath to discontinue cooking process. To create hard crunchy topping, sprinkle about 1 tsp. sugar on to of custard and run under broiler until brown and bubbly.