Column: Wineberries make for good cobblers, sonkers, buckles and bettys

By Candace Nelson - 5:44 PM

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Here's my latest column for The Charleston-Gazette Mail:

Wineberry” is one of those beautiful, ethereal words for me that conjures up images of other delicious foods like “Cosmic Crisp” apples and “Orange Blossom” honey in my mind.

Wine? Berry? Yes. Please.

It is not, however, a berry specifically used to make wine; instead, its name is likely derived from a general Middle English term for grape or berry and reflects its deep red color.

Wineberries grow wild through the Appalachian Mountains along roadsides, thickets, trails, creeks and edges of fields. Also known as “wine raspberry,” wineberries originated in Eastern Asia and were introduced to the United States in 1890 for their raspberry-like fruit. The shrub is still used today by berry breeders but is classified as an invasive species in Appalachia due to how well it took to the region. It adapts so well, in fact, that it can crowd out other native species.

But, many beloved plants are also invasive species: Pokeweed. Dandelion. Garlic Mustard.

Wineberries have a sweet and tart, raspberry-like flavor, which lends itself well to both savory and sweet dishes, like:

Pastries: Wrapped in phyllo dough or puff pastry, wineberries could make for a sweet treat

Jams and jellies: Spread on toast or paired with peanut butter, wineberries could add a different flavor

Pies and cobblers: Replacing raspberries or blackberries in a pie or cobbler recipe could create a new favorite

Sauces: Cook wineberries down into a sauce that can be a sweet complement to savory meats

Salads: Think of the role cranberries or strawberries can play in salads and try replacing those with wineberries

Cocktails: Muddled fruit can add a sweet burst

Sorbet: Blend the berries with sugar and freeze on a hot summer day

The versatility of wineberries has been valuable to Appalachia historically, culturally and economically. They have been an accessible food source for local communities — everything from making wineberry desserts for community functions to bottling wineberry jam to be sold by small-scale producers at farmers markets.

Wineberries are a sign of summertime in the mountains. The leaves have been produced and the shrubs are flowering now. Soon, wineberries will be growing on long, thorny canes covered with fine, red hairs through August.

For many people in Appalachia, wineberries hold a special place in their heart. Whether berry picking is a beloved summer tradition or creating recipes together holds deep memories, families and friends gather together to explore the mountains and search for the best spots to harvest wineberries.

It’s a great way to get outdoors, appreciate the natural beauty of the region, while also bringing home a delicious and healthy snack. There are a lot of terms for desserts made with fruit. The following recipe is for a cobbler, but there are many other options where you can tweak things slightly and have a whole new sweet treat.

Let’s break down the differences before we get into it so you can change things up if you want!

- Cobbler: fruit dessert baked with a biscuit-style topping. It’s called a cobbler because its top crust is not smooth like a pie crust but rather “cobbled” and coarse. It’s usually dropped or spooned over the fruit, then baked. A version called “grunt” is popular in Massachusetts and another called “slump” is popular in areas of Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.

- Sonker: like a cobbler, but made with a lot of juice and usually in North Carolina.

- Crisp: fruit dessert that has a topping made of oats, flour, butter, and sugar (and sometimes nuts). The topping completely covers the fruit and is baked.

- Crumble: like a crisp but the topping does not contain oats.

- Betty: like a crumble but rather than having the topping solely on top of the fruit, it’s layered throughout, then baked.

- Buckle: fruit and cake baked together, with a streusel topping. As it bakes, the fruit and streusel topping makes the cake “buckle.”

- Clafoutis: French cobbler, with fruit (usually cherries) on the bottom, custard, and a rough batter crust baked on top.

- Flaugnarde: like a clafoutis, but with a different fruit.

- Pandowdy: fruit on the bottom and a rolled crust on top, which is broken up to allow the juices to come through.

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