July = National Blueberry Month

 

July is National Blueberry Month

 Blueberry History in the United States

July was proclaimed National Blueberry Month by the United States Department of Agriculture on May 8th, 1999. Blueberries are grown in 35 states in the US, and the United States produces over 90% of all of the blueberries in the world. They have been used in soups, stews and more, for centuries. According to Ark-LA-Tex, the Native Americans taught the pilgrims to use blueberries in many ways. Blueberries were dried in the sun and ground into a powder. The powder was used to make a pudding called Sautauthig, and it was used to season meat as a “spice rub.”

Blueberries And Your Health
The Native Americans also believed that these little blue berries were good for your health. Blueberry tea is supposed to help relax women during childbirth, leaves from the blueberry bush were used to make a blood purifier that was good for the kidneys, and blueberry juice was supposed to be good for coughs. Modern medicine also identifies the health benefits of blueberries. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the Rutgers Blueberry Cranberry Research Center in Chatsworth, N.J. found that blueberries help prevent infections in the urinary tract in much the same way that cranberries do. They may also help to prevent macular degeneration according to Ronald L. Prior, Ph.D., director of the USDA.

Did you know that eating blueberries could also be one of the keys to living to a ripe old age? Well, if you take a look at the research, foods that are rich in antioxidants are supposed to help reduce your chance of getting cancer and heart disease, and blueberries are loaded with them. Out of 40 different fruits, juices and vegetables, the blueberry comes in with the highest antioxidant level, according to the North american Blueberry Council. Just three and a half ounces of blueberries are equivalent to over 1700 International Units of vitamin E.


Freezing Blueberries
According to the North American Blueberry Council, you should not wash your blueberries before you freeze them. If you buy the berries in a pint box, simply wrap the box tightly in cellophane to make it airtight, or slip it into a resealable plastic bag (squeeze out as much air as possible). Then freeze. If you buy the berries in bulk, freeze them on a cookie sheet first and then transfer them into a freezer container. Keep frozen until ready to use.

Substitute Fresh Blueberries For Canned Blueberries
According to Texas Blueberries, “If a recipe calls for a can of blueberries, you may make your own by using 2-1/2 cups of fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/8 cup of water. Cook until thickened and clear. Cool before using as a substitute.”

Recipes

To celebrate National Blueberry Month, try out some of these great recipes.

http://www.maplespringsfarm.com/recipes/sweets/blueberrypie.html

***** Blueberry Pie *****
ingredients	directions
4 cups fresh blueberries ¼ cup cold water 5 TBSP flour pinch salt 1 cup sugar ½ cup water whipping cream	Mix together ¼ cup cold water, flour, salt and make a smooth paste. Bring 1 cup of the blueberries, sugar, and ½ cup water to a boil. When boiling, add the flour paste and stir until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, add the remaining berries and put into baked 10” pie shell. Refrigerate. When cool, serve with whipped cream.

http://www.maplespringsfarm.com/recipes/breakfast/blueberryfunnycake.html

***** Blueberry Funny Cake *****
ingredients	directions
Blueberry Sauce 2 cups fresh blueberries 1 cup sugar 1 TBSP water 1 TBSP lemon juice Cake ¼ cup butter ¾ cup sugar 1 egg ½ cup milk 1 tea baking powder 1 ¼ cup flour 1 tea vanilla	Heat blueberry sauce ingredients until simmering and sugar is dissolved. Cool. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, mixing well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Add milk. Pour in unbaked pie shell. Slowly pour blueberry sauce over top. Bake 375 35 - 40 minutes.