Pick your own blackberries

Blackberries aren't fussy about where they grow. Whether you live in the city centre or out in the countryside, you're bound to be able to find some when foraging for blackberries along our towpaths.

Blackberry picking tips

• Go for shiny blackberries. Berries with any red on them won't be ripe just yet.
• Ripe blackberries should be easy to pull away from the plant. If they don't come away easily, leave them for next time.
• Don't pick blackberries that are too close to the ground. You don't want to eat any a passing dog might have been busy on.

When is the best time to pick blackberries?

August, September and October are the best months for picking blackberries along canals. They should be large, black and firm.

Storing and using blackberries

You can store the berries in the fridge for a few days if you're not using them straight away.

You can also freeze blackberries and cook with them straight from the freezer without defrosting.

Before you cook or eat them, give them a good rinse with cold water as they might be harbouring some fruit worms. These are harmless but probably not what you want to eat.

What to cook with foraged blackberries

Blackberries are great to eat raw, add to porridge or make jam with. However, it's hard to beat a blackberry and apple crumble.

Blackberry and apple crumble recipe

Ingredients:

• 1kg of cooking apples and blackberries. The ratio will differ depending on how many blackberries you manage to pick.
• 1 lemon
• 100g demerara sugar
• 200g plain or wholemeal flour
• 100g butter
• 50g of ground almonds or oats or desiccated coconut
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 1tsp cinnamon

Recipe:

1. Cut the apples up into one-inch chunks and add to a greased baking dish. Add the blackberries and grate the zest of the lemon over the fruit. Juice the lemon and mix this in with the fruit. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
2. With your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour and then stir in your sugar, cinnamon and almonds/oats/coconut. Mix it all together and sprinkle the crumbs over the fruit.
3. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling up around the edges of the dish.

Blackberry jam recipe

Ingredients:

• 1kg of blackberries (you can top it up with other berries if you can't pick enough blackberries)
• 750g granulated sugar

Recipe:

1. Put the blackberries and sugar in a covered bowl the night before. Give everything a quick stir in the morning and leave covered until you're ready to make your blackberry jam.
2. Put your blackberry/sugar mix on the hob. Start with a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then bring to the boil. Let simmer until it begins to look glossy.
3. To check if it's ready, take a teaspoon of the jam and put it on a cold plate (you might want to put one in the fridge before starting). Once cool, push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles, it's done. If it's still runny, continue to heat for a few more minutes.