Bountiful boysenberries

No other fruit speaks of Christmas in Nelson more than the boysenberry.

Boysenberries give the words plump, luscious and healthy new meaning; they are the ultimate berry.

Coming into season now makes them perfect Christmas fruit.

Nelson is the New Zealand home of boysenberries. Very picky about where they grow, they flourish here, and the only other countries in the world that produce them are North America and Chile. They like cool winters and a temperate spring and autumn.

Boysenberries were discovered in the United States in the 1920s – a cross between a loganberry, a blackberry and a raspberry. They arrived in New Zealand in the 1960s, and production has increased over the decades.

Nelson is the home of Berryfruit New Zealand, a co-operative of boysenberry growers from throughout the region who export their fruit collectively as well as selling it nationally. New Zealand now produces in the range of 3000 tonnes a year.

What we can claim about boysenberries is that those grown here have the highest levels of antioxidants in the world.

Mostly we rail against the hole in the ozone layer and our high levels of ultraviolet light, but these factors mean that boysenberries here are said to have been found to have the highest levels of antioxidants found in the fruit anywhere. The plant builds up a defence to combat the intense UV rays in this part of the world, and this concentrates antioxidants in the fruit.

The antioxidant values for blackcurrants, boysenberries and blueberries far outweigh those of others.

They are also high in vitamin C, fibre and ellagic acid, a compound that is an anti-carcinogen, anti-viral and anti-bacterial. What more could you ask for? Forget the apple a day and go for a plate of boysenberries instead.

There is no excuse for not eating them year-round, either. Nelson has a producer called Sujon that individually quick-freezes the fruit. Bags of Sujon frozen boysenberries and other berries, such as blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrants, can be found in the freezer section of New World, Pak 'n Save and Fresh Choice, retailing for about $9 a kilogram.

Sue and John Gibb were boysenberry growers in the 1980s, and an oversupply of fresh fruit led them to freeze the berries and to start looking for outlets for their products. Retailers and restaurants soon took advantage.

Sujon now distributes throughout New Zealand and, more recently, overseas, where demand is high, particularly among Asian consumers, who understand better than Kiwis the extraordinary high health benefits of berryfruit.

Boysenberries are a staple in icecream, yoghurts, smoothies and parfaits. They are delicious plain and fresh with a little icing sugar and cream. They are so good served this way that it isn't really necessary to do more. Gorge yourselves for the next month, and drive out to one of the various berry growers still operating close to Nelson.

Berryfields in McShane Rd, Appleby is the biggest supplier of boysenberries in the country, and its shop starts boysenberry sales this week. Don't delay, as the season is a short one, from mid-December to mid-January – so it is just as well that frozen berries taste so good as well.

Recipes

Boysenberries are an essential ingredient in the best breakfast yet: Swiss bircher muesli with boysenberries, yoghurt and maple syrup. Use Biofarm Organic Bush Honey Yoghurt and try the Woolworths brand of bircher muesli.

Soak the amount of muesli you desire in milk, to ensure that all the grains are moistened, for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Place the muesli in a serving bowl and add thawed frozen boysenberries (fresh ones if you have them) to taste. Top the mixture with yoghurt and drizzle with maple syrup.


BOYSENBERRY TRIFLE
This is a delicious Christmas Day dessert. Feeds 4-6.

Sponge cake:

4 eggs
125g caster sugar
125g flour

50g unsalted melted butter Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a medium springform pan with butter and then dust with flour.

Whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is light and airy (about 10 minutes).

Sift in the flour and add the melted butter. Pour into the pan and cook for about 30 minutes until done. Cool.

Store the cake for a couple of days in an airtight container. When you are ready to make the trifle, cut the cake into pieces about 2cm-3cm square and put in a large flat bowl. Sprinkle with sherry or brandy to taste.


Custard:

3 cups of milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
5 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

Heat the milk in the top of a double boiler.

Mix the sugar and the flour. Add to the egg yolks and beat together well.

Add the milk and stir with a wire whisk.

Return to the double boiler and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the vanilla. Cool quickly.


Fruit and cream:

500g of fresh boysenberries, washed and cleaned
2 tbsp cassis liqueur
3-4 tbsp caster sugar
300ml cream
2 Tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Mash a few of the berries to create some liquid. Add the cassis and caster sugar and mix through all the berries. Let them soak together for at least a couple of hours.

Whip the cream and add the icing sugar and vanilla.

Assemble the trifle in a glass bowl so you can appreciate the layers.

First, layer the cake, followed by fruit and then custard. Repeat until you have used up all of the ingredients. Top with cream and refrigerate.


BOYSENBERRIES AND PEARS WITH MASCARPONE

For 4 people – adapted from a Cuisine magazine recipe. Vanilla sugar is made by blending 3-4 vanilla beans with 1 cup of caster sugar in a food processor until the vanilla is reduced to black dots.

2 pears, cored and halved
250g boysenberries
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vanilla sugar
150g mascarpone

Bring the wine, water and vanilla sugar to a simmer and add the pears, simmering until tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Remove the pears to a serving dish and quickly add the boysenberries to the syrup for a minute or two. Remove and add to the pears.

Reduce the liquid to about half.

Mix together the mascarpone and 3-4 Tbsp of vanilla sugar (to taste).

Place a pear half and boysenberries on individual plates. Pour over some of the liquid and add a dollop of the mascarpone.

* Research by Elizabeth Latham and Serge Crottaz, of the School of Tourism, Hospitality and Wellbeing at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. Fresh at NMIT appears fortnightly, exploring the local connection to food and beverages through the eyes of its leading hospitality educators.



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SLU Dietitian Names Top Five Holiday Foods

ST. LOUIS -- 'Tis the giving season so treat yourself to holiday goodies that are good for you.

McDaniel selected nuts as one of the holiday season's top five power foods.

"Some of the tastiest treats of the season pack a powerful nutritional wallop," said Jennifer McDaniel, a registered dietitian and director of undergraduate programs in nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University.

"We tend to associate certain foods with the holidays, but they're so nutritious we should include them in our everyday diet."

Here are McDaniel's top five power foods for your holiday munching:

Cranberries: High in vitamin C, cranberries contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than most other berries. Because of their high acidity, they store easily and can keep in your refrigerator for up to two months. Substitute dried cranberries for raisins when you bake, sprinkle them over a salad or throw a handful in trail mix. Add fresh cranberries to your favorite muffin or pancake recipe. Combine fresh cranberries with diced apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, crushed pecans and sugar for a pie or cobbler filling that is the perfect blend of sweet and tart favors.

Cinnamon: About a half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowers the blood-sugar levels in patients who have type 2 diabetes and reduces bad cholesterol, some studies show. Cinnamon also may help stop the growth of bacteria. Add this spice to your morning coffee, hot chocolate, hot breakfast cereal or apple cider. Shake some in pancakes, muffins or waffle batter. And sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on yogurt or winter comfort foods, such as stew or chili.

Nuts: Evidence is mounting that nuts help control your weight and decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein, fiber and monounsaturated fats, which are important for heart health. Walnuts provide essential omega-3 fatty acids, which carry numerous health benefits. Add nuts and seeds to homemade trail mix or granola, use them to zip up chicken or tuna salads, combine in baked goods or sprinkle some in your salad for a healthy crunch. Caveat: because nuts are high in calories -- one ounce contains about 150 calories -- a small serving goes a long way.

Red wine: Appropriately colored for the season, red wine is a particularly rich source of antioxidants. Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL cholesterol and prevent blood clotting. Flavonoids also helps prevent blood clots and plaques from forming in arteries. As you celebrate the season, enjoy a glass or two, but remember moderation is the key.

Pomegranates: Credit a couple of antioxidants for giving pomegranate seeds their rich ruby red Christmas color. Pomegranate juice may have two or three times the antioxidant power of green tea or wine. Early research shows that pomegranate juice may help reduce cholesterol and possibly bring down blood pressure. Pomegranates can be a messy food to prepare, so open them over a large bowl of ice water. The pulp floats to the top and the seeds to the bottom. Sprinkle the seeds on salads, into batters or on breakfast cereals. Use the juice in a smoothie or salad dressing.

McDaniel said adding these foods to our eating routine is a way to extend the sparkle of the season long after the Christmas tree has come down.

"These five foods are natural nutrient powerhouses," McDaniel added. "Finding a way to incorporate those foods into our everyday eating patterns can help us enjoy the holidays year round."

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