Green Blueberries
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Description/Taste
Green blueberries are small, round fruits, measuring between 5 and 15 millimeters in diameter. They have a smooth, pale green skin with the occasional purple or pink blush and a persistent calyx at the stem end. The berries have a firm, pale green flesh with a crisp texture and offer a very tart, acidic flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Green blueberries are available for in the late spring through early summer months.
Current Facts
Green blueberries are the unripened fruits of Vaccinium corymbosum or thighbush blueberry and Vaccinium angustifolium, or lowbush blueberry, and hybrids of the two. The immature fruits are not typically harvested for commercial use; however, both French and Middle Eastern cuisine utilize several varieties of unripened fruits in recipes for sauces and condiments.
Nutritional Value
Green blueberries contain high amounts of vitamins C and K, dietary fiber, and manganese, and contain smaller amounts of B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and copper. The small berries also contain trace amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. The unripened berries do not contain the high levels of antioxidants that ripe berries offer.
Applications
Green blueberries are not usually eaten raw; they are most often cooked or pickled. They can be used to make a verjus, or verjuice, which is traditionally made with the unripened grapes that were picked to thin the vines. Verjus can be used as a substitute for vinegar or citrus juice in dressings and marinades. Ferment Green blueberries for use in green or potato salads or as a condiment for meats or vegetable dishes. They can be pickled, for achar (a tart, spicy and sweet Indian condiment) or a chutney. Washing Green blueberries with hot water and vinegar will help keep them fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Store unwashed berries for up to five days in the refrigerator. They can also be washed and frozen for up to four months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Unripened fruits, like Green blueberries, are often pickled and used in Middle Eastern or Indian recipes. In Spain, green almonds are a favorite. In Iran and other Persian countries, unripe, green plums are enjoyed fresh or pickled. Green apricots are popular in Persian and Eastern European cuisines.
Geography/History
Green blueberries are native to North America, along the east coast from Canada to Florida. There are five different, major varieties of blueberry: lowbush, northern highbush, southern highbush, rabbiteye and half-high. The northern highbush blueberry is the most commonly cultivated variety throughout the world. Blueberries were first cultivated in the United States in the early 20th century. Today, in North America, they primarily cultivated in California, the Pacific Northwest, Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida, and in British Columbia in Canada and Chile, Argentina, Peru and Uruguay in South America. Green blueberries are harvested in the spring and can be harvested through the beginning of the regular season and are most likely to be spotted at farmer’s markets or in backyard gardens.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Green Blueberries. One
is easiest, three is harder.
