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[nafex] Re: ribes, black currant



I have limited experience of eating blackcurrants fresh.

"Boskoop Giant" I thought quite good. "Consort" I did not like fresh. 
One or two others whose names I have forgotten were not good but not 
as bad as "Consort." Be clear that with black currants a bad taste 
fresh usually goes with an excellent taste cooked.

'Boskoop Giant" is not resistant to white pine blister rust. It was a 
successful commercial cultivar in times long past. I have read that 
there are now several clones in circulation with varying productivity.
Generally said to be more vulnerable than other kinds to cold windy 
spring weather at blossom time.

The writings of the late Lawrence Hills of the Henry Doubleday 
Research Association rated black currants (tested by him in Britain) 
for fresh eating. There were a few that he considered good fresh, 
although most were for preserves only.

I seem to recall that the ratings were in his book "Grow Your Own 
Fruit and Vegetables" published at London by Faber and Faber, 
editions from 1972 to 1975. They may also be in a small HDRA 
booklet "The Fruit Finder" of that vintage.

The black currant is an underappreciated fruit in North America. The 
vitamin C content of fresh fruit is around 200-250 milligrams per 100 
grams. Properly prepared bottled juice has a content of 40 mg/100g. 
It tastes very good by itself (normally diluted)or mixed with other 
juices. The jam is superb, and black currants are excellent for 
combing with apple in pies and tarts, as well as used alone in tarts.
The mineral content is higher than that of most other fruits.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario


--- In nafex@y..., mauch1@a... wrote:
> W/ my *very* limited taste experience w/ black currants, in the raw 
> form they taste like what I imagine dirt would taste like.  
> 
> They do make a wonderful jelly, and there was a purveyor that sold 
> black currant tea that smelled wonderful (but it didn't really 
taste 
> of anything.)
> 
> Perhaps Ed could recommend varieties of blacks that taste better in 
> their raw form (Do the 'good' tasting black currants also process 
> well?)
> 
> Chris Mauchline
> SE PA, zone 6



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