The picking of wild blueberries requires two essential skills: sharp eyes and truckloads of patience. The forest is now ripe with these little blue gems that grow on low shrubs. The past few Dutch summers were not the best for wild blueberries but I heard through the grapevine that this is the best season since a couple of decades!
These wild blueberries are smaller and tarter than their tamed supermarket cousins so be in for a little surprise when you take your first bite: a taste explosion! While picking, they are notoriously hard to find in the mass of green: lift up the branches of the shrub or better still squat down to shrub level (who needs the gym?) to spot them. Once you have your blueberry ‘eyes’ on, you’ll see them everywhere. Pick a big handful before stuffing them all into your face and remember to check if your teeth are still stained blue before meeting anyone in public after leaving the forest. Delicious for wild blueberry sauce (over a pie or cheesecake for example) and jam. Oh, and you won’t get anywhere fast: estimate about half a kilo every hour by hand (faster with a berry picker but I prefer it the hard way). Happy picking!
The Seasonal Eater 