Although National Blueberry Month doesn’t begin until July, I was thrilled to see boxes of blueberries at the Farmers Market last week. During the 1990s and early 2000s, blueberries became a health-food favorite for their nutritional benefits. However, the sweet-tart berry has been part of the diet for North American inhabitants for more than 13,000 years.

Because blueberries keep longer in storage than many other berries, they were an important forage crop for Native Americans, who dried and stored them for use during the winter months. They were eaten fresh in season; when dried, they were added to stews or used to make pemmican, a concentrated energy source that traveled well. In addition, the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits were used for medical purposes.

There are a number of blueberry species native to North America, with some adapted to warmer climates in the south and others that thrive in the cooler temperatures in the north. Most of the cultivated varieties of blueberry come from the southern high bush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), which is native to the eastern and southern United States, as well as eastern Canada. 

While our predecessors on this continent enjoyed wild blueberries for centuries, the fruit was not commercially cultivated until the early 1900s, following the publication of Frank Coville’s book, “Experiments in Blueberry Culture.” Coville, a USDA botanist, was the first to recognize the blueberry bush needed very acidic soil to thrive. New Jersey farmer Elizabeth White read his book and offered acreage for his continued research. Together, they cross-bred cultivars in order to develop larger, juicier berries.

By the 1930s, blueberries found their way to Europe and eventually spread to the southern hemisphere, where Peru is now the second-largest producer worldwide (behind the United States as the first). Canada is in third place, primarily producing a different variety, known as “low bush” or “wild” which has smaller fruits. Both the high bush and low bush varieties are celebrated for their high concentrations of polyphenol and anthocyanin.

Today, you will find blueberries in all sorts of prepared foods: jams, jellies, muffins, snack bars, fruit leather, breakfast cereals and baking mixes. My favorite way to enjoy fresh berries is stirred into creamy yogurt for a simple breakfast. If you search the internet, you will find thousands of recipes for cobblers, pies, quick breads and cakes.

When you bring home your fresh blueberries, decide how you will use them. If you’re planning to bake a sweet treat immediately, you can rinse them and set them to drain. If you won’t be eating them right away, leave the fruit in its original container. If you want to freeze them for storage, rinse, drain and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top bag and seal.

If you bought too many berries and they’re starting to look a little tired, consider using them in one of the recipes below. The smoothie is a quick and easy breakfast in a glass. To make it thicker and colder, throw in half a frozen banana. The stew is an interesting combination of sweet and savory, delicious over polenta or mashed potatoes. Happy blueberry season!

Beef Stew*

1 lb stew beef
Salt and pepper
1 T flour
1/2 C sliced shallots
1 T butter
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
2 C beef stock
1 1/2 C blueberries
1 T thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 peeled garlic cloves

Preheat the oven to 275 F.

Season the stew beef with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. In a Dutch oven, brown the stew beef on the stove over high heat. Remove meat to a platter; set aside. In the same pan, add butter, shallots and thyme leaves. Cook over low until shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, honey, beef stock and blueberries; simmer for another 5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan; add bay leaf and whole garlic cloves. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, about 3 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf and garlic before serving. Yield: 4 servings. *Adapted from the Boston Herald.

Blueberry Smoothie

1 C blueberries
1 C yogurt*
3/4 C milk
1/4 t vanilla extract
pinch cinnamon or nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Yield: 2 servings. *Use either plain or vanilla yogurt, depending on your sweet tooth.