Blue Berries

We went along the lane tonight picking bilberries. I find bilberries (for no good reason) rather interesting. They're from the same family (Vaccinium) as blueberries (V. species in the Cyanococcus ('round and blue') section and cranberries (V. Oxycoccos ('acidic and round') species)), and the look a lot like blueberries. They're smaller (4–7mm diameter, against 6–12mm), though, with bright red flesh (a blueberry's is pale green), and the flavour is deeper. The plants are low-growing (30–60cm tall, instead of the 1–2m a blueberry can grow to), but broadly similar in foliage.

They are, sadly, deeply tedious to collect. Blueberries, which form in clusters, are a lot easier, but bilberries form singly or in pairs, are smaller, and often hidden in the foliage. Also, as they're so much smaller, you need more! I'm given to understand that they make a fine country wine, which I'll try if I can collect enough, or might make a smaller quantity into a blended-fruit wine.

Continuing the comparison with blueberries: bilberries also keep much less well. Blueberries are easy to store for several weeks, and don't split or bruise too easily. Bilberries split readily on picking, and don't lend themselves to storage and transport. Needless to say, transporting them a few dozen meters to the house, and storing them for the few hours to days it takes to eat them is not a problem... Because they're difficult to cultivate (and collect), they are, seemingly, quite a pricey commodity (€25 per pound?), if you can even find them. Given the number of plants growing near us, it will be no surprise to reveal that they like (very) acid and nutrient-poor soil.

Here's hoping that I can collect enough to vinify!