Les bluets

Summer brings with it blueberries, as suddenly the geography of the world food distribution network becomes clear. One day, little 6 ounce packages of Mexican blueberries sell for $4. The next day, $3 buys you a pint of berries from South Carolina. And so it goes, through the summer, the prices getting lower and the berries getting better and being shipped from further north. As autumn arrives, there is a last gasp of late Canadian blueberries, and then finally we return to meagre, shrunken berries from distant lands south of the equator.

Frozen blueberries work better than other fruits, for the same reason that frozen peas do better than other vegetables. But they are still a poor substitute. When summer arrives, I eat blueberries by the bushel. With cream, whenever possible. They’ve got loads of healthy antioxidants, and more importantly they taste fantastic.

And so: bon appetit!