If you have never seen them before, you might be a little concerned about trying gooseberries. After all, while these fruits look a lot like grapes and have a texture that is pretty similar, they are very sour. That can be shocking if you are not prepared for them. However, these berries are useful and popular in toppings, desserts, and more. You will not have to look hard to find gooseberry recipes online and in cookbooks. These little fruits are even good for you!
Though they are quite small, gooseberries pack a serious punch when it comes to potassium. A generous amount of potassium in your diet has proven to be amazingly useful when it comes to bringing down high blood pressure and taking care of the problems associated with hypertension.
They also have lots of vitamin C and vitamin A, both of which are important in our daily lives. Since they are so full of nutrients, gooseberries may be recommended for pregnant women. This natural source of essential vitamins and minerals is more easily absorbed by the body.
So, how do you eat them? There are lots of options, even straight from the carton. These grape-like little berries lack bitter seeds, and can be eaten whole. The lack of a need to remove those bitter seeds means that gooseberries are a great candidate for desserts, as well as for eating alone.
Some people are a little put off by the tartness of the berries, but find that if you split them in two and sprinkle some sugar on top, they can be quite agreeable. While many people find that the addition of sugar is essential to this fruit, other people will actually add salt to it instead.
You will also find that there are some great desserts that can be made with gooseberries. Try mixing some diced gooseberries and strawberries, simmering them with sugar and either fruit juice or white wine and adding some potato starch, and then chilling.
The resulting thickened syrup is terrific on pancakes, waffles, or crepes and is quite popular in Europe, particularly the Scandinavian countries. You will also find plenty of recipes for “gooseberry fool,” a particularly delicious dessert if you look online.
This fruit makes a great choice any time you are interested in trying something a little different. You can sometimes find gooseberries in your local grocery store. If yours does not carry them, try checking the farmer’s market. Gooseberries range from light green to purplish red. Like grapes, they can be very different in flavor, so remember to ask for a sample. There are lots of different ways to eat gooseberries. Just look online to find more gooseberry recipes, and discover more about this tasty, but lesser known fruit.
