When we first looked at our old farmhouse in Maine, I was excited to find fireplaces that worked and old wooden beams. There was a thick hedge of lilacs outside the front door. But it was when I roamed around the edge of the property and discovered row upon row of raspberry and blueberry bushes that I knew I had found a home.

Every summer I anticipate the arrival of these berries with the glee of a kid in a candy shop. Early July mornings, I head outside with a coffee cup in one hand and an empty yogurt container in the other. Raspberries require patience as they hide and can grow at eye level (easy) or ankle level (hard) at the bottom of the canes. Picking berries requires you to slow down just enough to see. Oh look, there’s a cluster of ripe ones.  And over there. And as I sip my coffee, and search for perfectly red ripe berries, I find myself listening to the birds and feeling the sun pick up strength. It’s a morning berry meditation.

Once the yogurt container is full (five berries for the bucket and one for me), it’s time to head indoors and sprinkle them over yogurt and granola and think about the season’s first berry tart or muffins or cake. Even a salad. The possibilities of what you can do with summer’s tart, sweet, bursting-with-juice berries is endless.

Look for just-picked, very local berries at a nearby pick-your-own farm or farmer’s market. If you shop for berries at the supermarket check the bottom of the pint to see if they are fresh — make sure they are still holding their shape and not moldy or clumped together and rotting. Remember that berries are quite perishable. Raspberries, golden raspberries, blackberries and huckleberries will barely last three days. Strawberries and blueberries are heartier and will last several days. But, in general, berries aren’t meant to sit around. Your best bet is to use them ASAP. Do not wash the berries until just before you’re ready to use them. Moisture is the enemy here and will cause the berries to break down even further.

Yes, you can freeze fresh summer berries. The best method is to place a baking or cookie sheet in the freezer and place the berries on it in a single layer. Freeze for about an hour, or until they are frozen enough to keep their shape and not clump together. When that happens you can place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for several months.

I’m not a big fan of berries in savory food. I don’t love berry soup or berry-flavored salad dressings. I don’t really want a strawberry near my roast chicken. But I woke up early one morning this month and thought about how beautiful it might be to pair sweet, earthy roasted beets with fresh raspberries.

I’m also not a fan of precious food. This salad might appear to be a precious, “chefy-type” dish. And although it’s stunning, it’s really about the balance of color, flavor, texture and shape. Golden yellow beets (or red beets) are roasted until tender and sweet, thinly sliced, topped with crumbled salty feta cheese and then topped with raspberries (or blackberries), fresh herbs and edible flowers. All you need to pair with it is a warm, crusty loaf of bread or buttery biscuits or whole grain crackers. This salad makes a light summer lunch or first course.

Made in a bread loaf pan, this simple cake bursts with the fresh flavors of summer. A cake batter is flavored with lemon zest and lemon juice and mixed with fresh blueberries (yes, you can substitute any berry here) and when the cake is baked and cooled, a simple glaze of lemon juice and confectioners sugar is poured over the top. When it’s done, you grate lemon zest on top and surround the cake with even more fresh summer berries. Ideal for breakfast, snack, or dessert, serve the cake with iced or hot tea, coffee or wine.

This is the summer dessert you want for a special dinner or get-together. You need to make the pastry and the pastry cream a day ahead of time, so plan your time accordingly. But once you bake off the crust, it’s a matter of spooning raspberry jam on the bottom, then the pastry cream and topping it with a gorgeous crown of fresh summer berries. Although there are a few steps involved, this tart is quite straightforward.

Simple raspberry jam with lemon (and no pectin)

All you need to make this jam is a few cups of ripe berries, some sugar and lemon juice. No pectin is needed. The lemon juice adds flavor but it also helps the jam “set” or “gel” into a thick jam-like consistency. I don’t add a ton of sugar which yields a slightly sweet, tart and very fruity jam.

Makes 3-pint size jars or 6 half-pint jars.

More berry and canning resources

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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