Dried Blackberries

Beyond jam and jelly, mountain families dried blackberries for the winter — concentrated little nuggets of intense berry flavor that served as pocket candy, medicine, and dessert for lunch pails. Dried on screens in the sun or near the woodstove, they kept indefinitely and carried the flavor of midsummer into the depths of winter. Chewed slowly, they released their sweetness over time.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh blackberries, washed and dried

Directions

1. Spread blackberries in a single layer on wire mesh screens or dehydrator trays.
2. Sun drying method: place screens in direct sunlight in a dry location. Cover with cheesecloth to keep insects off. Dry for 3–5 days, bringing inside each night.
3. Oven drying method: spread on parchment-lined baking sheets. Dry at lowest oven setting (150–170°F) for 8–12 hours, until shrunken and dry but still slightly pliable.
4. They are done when they no longer feel moist inside but have not turned completely hard. A slight give when squeezed is ideal.
5. Store in cloth bags or paper bags — not airtight containers.
6. Pack a small handful in the lunch pail as dessert or sweet snack.

Notes

Dried blackberries were considered medicinal — used for upset stomachs, diarrhea, and sore throats. The tannins in blackberries genuinely have astringent, anti-inflammatory properties. The flavor of dried wild mountain blackberries is extraordinarily intense — nothing like a fresh berry. They rehydrate beautifully in oatmeal or milk.