Currants!
By Christina Fordyce
In addition to our popular fare, here at Fordyce Farm we like to grow a few unique fruits too! Some of our favorite summer berries are currants. These beautiful little berries are highlighted in many European cuisines, add flavor and interest to baked goods, and are delicious in jams and jellies.
A beautiful bounty of colorful currants
Currants are a super-food! They are packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C. Some of our long-time customers from eastern European countries have affectionately referred to black currants as “God’s berries” due to their wide ranging health benefits. According to WebMD, a 1/4 cup serving (28g) has over 50mg, or 56% of your daily recommended Vitamin C intake. For comparison 1/3 orange is about the same size serving with only 18mg, or 28% of your daily intake. Amazing! They are also a great source of potassium, iron, copper, and manganese - all important minerals for overall health and wellness.
We grow four varieties of currants on the farm: black, red, pink, and white (also sometimes referred to as “champagne”). They each have a slightly different flavor profile.
Black currants are the most… unique. They are really rather pungent with a deep, earthy taste and lots of tannins. Some folks enjoy them raw, but most of the time these are enjoyed processed. Black currants make great jams, jellies, and syrups, but one of the most delicious ways to prepare them is in a liqueur called Creme de Cassis. This black currant liqueur is just about one of the easiest things to make and you don’t need to be an expert at processing/preserving by any means. It’s a make it-set it-forget it kind of recipe. We like this simple one from a UK blogger. Other recipes have it sit for as short as 1-3 months, but the longer the better. You can also add a vanilla pod or a cinnamon stick to your recipe, but not necessary. Making black currants into Cassis transforms their flavor into something simply superb. You’ll just have to try it for yourself.
Black currants on the bush
Red currants are definitely more palatable raw than the black currants. They have a bright, tart, acidic flavor. On their own they make a delicious jelly or jam. They are also an incredible compliment to other fruit preserves. I have made a blueberry and red currant liqueur that is quite tasty. I also made raspberry red currant freezer jam that was incredible. For that recipe I just followed the basic freezer jam pectin label recipe for raspberries, but substituted in 1/2 red currants for half the raspberries. Red currants are particularly good in savory recipes too. Find some great ideas on this list of recipes including red currant chutney, sauce for meats, and red currants with goat cheese on crostini.
Clusters of bright red currants on the bush
Pink currants are the sweetest of the bunch. They are one of our favorites for eating right off the bush. They’d make an excellent addition to a fruit salad along with red currants for a pop of color and tartness. Pink currants are great for fresh eating. I recommend them in a bowl of honeyed yogurt, frozen to throw into smoothies, or in their own jam or jelly to highlight their brightly sweet flavor.
Beautiful closeup of pink currants on the bush
White, or champagne, currants are sweet tart and quite attractive. I used them once on a family member’s wedding cake as an ornamental garnish and they were reminiscent of champagne bubbles trailing down the side. It was beautiful! Their tart flavor would combine well with apples in a crumble. Like the others, they’d make a great jam or jelly. We also love this white currant lemonade cocktail idea! The white currant wouldn’t change the color of the lemonade so it still looks like a traditional lemonade and has the added Vitamin C boost from the currants. You could easily leave out the liquor for a family friendly lemonade with a unique twist.
White currants on the bush - they have a translucent quality
White and pink currants make an appearance on this wedding cake alongside blueberries and golden raspberries.
We have currants available for u-pick during their season in July. We hope you’ll come out and try this unique berry and add some interest into your summer fare. Have you made anything with currants? What is your favorite way to prepare them? Tell us in the comments!