Calendar September 2015: Bramble

September: Bramble (Blackberry)

Tempting behind the prickly leaves

(Rubus fruticosus, Order: Rosales, Family: Rosaceae, Genus: Rubus )

Bramble is, according to Adele Nozendar (The Hedgerow Handbook, Square Peg, 2012), originated from the Germanic word 'brom', which means 'thorny shrub'.  I know that blackberries are called 'Brombeeren' in German.  Bramble is also called blackberry, which is named after the glossy deep purple black berry.

The berries start ripening at the beginning August, at first light green, then gradually red, and dark wine red, eventually turn deep purple black.  We can enjoy the decent harvest still in September, possibly in October.  I think blackberries are one of the most common wild food for free here in the south Wales.  

The fruit is actually not 'berry', a cluster of drupelets.  A single drupe, stone fruit, has a seed in the middle of the fruit such as peach.  An individual blackberry's drupelet has also a tiny but stubborn seed.  The seeds are resistant about the acid in stomach.  It means that seeds survive through the animal's digestion and are transported to other places.  Bramble is also regarded as ancient species.  'The pips were found in the stomach contents of a Neolithic man'!  (The Woodland Trust website)  These strong species survived through many years, even thousands years.

That's why we can find the brambles everywhere, in meadows, hedgerows, wastelands, woodlands.  They are so hardy, or rather invasive that they come into your gardens.  While the prickle tangled stems and leaves keep away from us, human and many animals, they give some other animals benefit to be protected.  Small birds like wren and robin and mammals can nest within the bush, keep away from their predators. (The RSPB website)  

After the sunny warm days, we stroll into the meadows with a big container, where the berries grows undisturbed.  The ripe blackberries on the sunny spot are really sweet.  You have to be careful with the hooked prickles on the stems.  Once you are trapped in the tangled stems, you must struggle to get out!  A proper clothes (a sturdy long sleeved shirt, a pair of sturdy long trousers and a pair of sturdy outdoor shoes with thick soles) are highly recommended.  Even with armed outfit, we usually get scratches on our hands.  Alas, we cannot wear gloves as we cannot pick the soft berries only with bear fingers..

We collect the ripe fruits as far as we can, but most of the best juicy soft sweet berries on the top of the prickly piles, from which prickles prevent mammals including human, are left for birds.  They can enjoy the feast until the end of September, or even later.

My husband makes blackberry jam every year.  He sieve the berries to remove the seeds to make smooth texture.  Last year, I have tried to make blackberry cordial, inspired by making elder berry cordial.  But I didn't know that blackberries have high level of pectin, like apples, which caused 'clotted blackberry cordial'.  Luckily my children liked the cordial and all the bottle were consumed.  (However, I won't make one any more!)

Blackberry and apple crumble is on our autumnal pudding list.  They both get on well with crumble.  I usually use muesli and chopped nuts such as almond or hazel nuts for crumble dough, which makes crunchy texture.  It's our favourite autumnal desert, which can be made quickly.

September begins with, often, rain.  Today, September the 1st, was between sunny and cloudy, and there was a sudden shower in the afternoon.  But fingers crossed, hoping a dry warm autumn so that we can enjoy the sweet aromatic blackberries.