flipBlackberry Preserve from Before Michaelmas
Blackberry Preserve from Before Michaelmas
Why this dish? A persistent legend holds that when Michael cast Lucifer out of Heaven, the demon fell into a bramble bush and, in rage, cursed it by spitting on it. Hence the popular taboo: no more blackberry picking after Michaelmas. So people hastened to gather the last blackberries before the feast and preserve them — a practice directly born from the archangel's battle with the dragon.
A thick, glossy preserve of wild blackberries, lightly sweetened with honey, with a hint of tartness. Deep purple, scent of the woodland. The last taste of summer kept for winter.
It is said, and I do not deny it, that when I cast the Adversary from the heights, he fell into the brambles and fouled them with his wrath. That is why the wise folk of the countryside tell you: pick the blackberry BEFORE my feast, never after. Hasten, therefore, mortal, while the fruit is pure: fill your cauldron with it, bind it with honey and gentle fire, and seal it for the cold season. What you have stored before the darkness will feed you when the bush itself is but bare thorns.
- •Wild blackberries — a large basket (fruit)
- •Honey — in proportion to the fruit (preserving sugar)
- •Grated tart apple — one or two (natural binder (pectin))
- •Verjuice — a dash (acidity, preservation)
Blackberry Preserve from Before Michaelmas
A thick, glossy preserve of wild blackberries, lightly sweetened with honey, with a hint of tartness. Deep purple, scent of the woodland. The last taste of summer kept for winter.
Why this dish? A persistent legend holds that when Michael cast Lucifer out of Heaven, the demon fell into a bramble bush and, in rage, cursed it by spitting on it. Hence the popular taboo: no more blackberry picking after Michaelmas. So people hastened to gather the last blackberries before the feast and preserve them — a practice directly born from the archangel's battle with the dragon.
It is said, and I do not deny it, that when I cast the Adversary from the heights, he fell into the brambles and fouled them with his wrath. That is why the wise folk of the countryside tell you: pick the blackberry BEFORE my feast, never after. Hasten, therefore, mortal, while the fruit is pure: fill your cauldron with it, bind it with honey and gentle fire, and seal it for the cold season. What you have stored before the darkness will feed you when the bush itself is but bare thorns.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wild blackberries — a large basket (fruit)
- Honey — in proportion to the fruit (preserving sugar)
- Grated tart apple — one or two (natural binder (pectin))
- Verjuice — a dash (acidity, preservation)
Ingredients
- Blackberries — 1 kg (fruit)
- Honey — 400 g (preserving sugar)
- Sugar — 200 g (set of the jam)
- Grated tart apple — 1 (natural pectin)
- Lemon juice — 1 tbsp (acidity (instead of verjuice))
Method
- Sort and rinse the blackberries. Place them in a preserving pan with the grated apple and lemon juice (or verjuice).
- Add honey and sugar, mix and let macerate for 1 hour to release the juice.
- Cook over low then high heat, stirring and skimming, until a drop sets on a cold plate (about 25 to 30 min).
- For a smoother texture, pass part through a sieve to remove some seeds.
- Pour boiling into sterilized jars, seal and invert. Store in a cool, dark place.
How it was made : Without cheap refined sugar, fruit was preserved with honey and long cooking, sometimes with added verjuice (green grape juice) for acidity. Jars were sealed with oiled parchment or wax. The apple, rich in pectin, made the jelly set naturally.
The contemporary twist : Label each jar 'picked before September 29' — and include the legend of the dragon on the back. Delicious on the struan from the previous recipe.
Sources : John Brand, Observations on Popular Antiquities (taboo on blackberries after Michaelmas)
Archangel Michael · Charactorium
