Grower
Seasons/Availability
Grown in the Pacific Northwest, Black Currants are available June through September.
Current Facts
The jostaberry is a newcomer to the currant family and is a hybrid whose parents are black currants and gooseberries. It has the appearance of a large black currant and may be treated as such but its pleasant flavor is different from either parent.
Description/Taste
Small, shiny and round, black currant berries are encased in a translucent skin. Juicy and soft, the pulp contains a number of edible seeds. Pleasantly aromatic, the flavor is very tart.
Nutritional Value
Rich in vitamin C, one cup of black currants has about three times as much vitamin C as an orange and contains about 71 calories. The black currant is a good source of vitamin E, which helps protect vitamin C from destructive oxidation. Black currants provide 360.6 milligrams of potassium, which is ten per cent of the RDA. Five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lower the chances of getting cancer. A recent study found that eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables with three servings of low-fat dairy foods were effective in lowering blood pressure. Note: An allergy to aspirin may cause a reaction to the natural salicylate present in the currants.
Applications
A bit too tart to eat as raw fresh fruit, black currants are excellent flavor and texture for stews, sauces, liqueur, jams, jellies and syrups. Make delicious steamed puddings, scones, baked goods and desserts. Add a few to fruit salad if a bold sweet-tart flavor is preferred. To store, wrap in plastic; refrigerate. When making jam, black currants require more water than other fruits. For longer storage, freeze in containers or bags.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The French alcoholic cordial creme de cassis made in Burgundy from locally grown black currants has won worldwide fame. Eventually the black currant earned a rightful popularity for also making an excellent jam.
Geography/History
All cultivated currant species have Asian and European ancestry. Currants were enjoyed in Europe centuries before America tasted these tiny edibles. Food historians document this fruit grew wild until sometime in the 1500s. Denmark, the Netherlands and the Baltic Sea region are said to have been the first to cultivate currants. American colonists began growing currants in the late 1600s or early 1700s. Botanically the trio of currants is actually just one pair. Black currants are Ribes nigrum; red currants are Ribes rubrum and Ribes sativum; and white currants are a variety of the red. All being round small berries, frequently they bear a withered little remnant of the flower that is produced on the opposite end of the stem. Since black currants have thicker skins than the red and white varieties, they can be picked singly without damage to the fruit. Red and white currants are picked in clusters to prevent crushing the delicate berries. Cultivated a hundred years later than red currants, black currants were at one time looked upon as an inferior variety as they didn't offer the good flavor like the red variety. Both black and red wild currants grow worldwide in northern temperate regions, including North America. Grown in the United States, Oregon contributes a good supply of black currants to the marketplace.
Featured Recipes
Recipes that include Fresh Black Currants. One
is easiest, three is harder.
