...and it wasn't my moustache. I've live in my new home for the past six years and at the end of every day I fuel up the company vehicle and close out my paperwork for the day. Yesterday I got out to stretch my bones a bit before going back home and I noticed something. It was a huge bush, well over my head and heavy with blueberries. Not the big-as-your-thumb cultivated kind, but the small-as-a-BB wild kind. MUCH better tasting and sweeter as well. I've parked there dang near every day and never noticed them before. I have several varieties planted at the house but as they are small I still need to go to a pick-yer-own berry patch to satisfy my sweet tooth for the winter. So my son and I returned this AM with several No.10 cans and filled three of them before we decided we had enough. After cleaning two bowlfuls I attempted my first batch of homemade blueberry preserves. It was deceptively easy. So easy I'm kicking myself in my butt for not attempting this decades ago. So here they are my sweet little berry-caviar of the woods but from the center of town, and walking distance of the house no less ! The big bowl is for batch No 2, which just came out of the canner. The pickin' went fast and easy, whole handfuls into a can every time ! Batch No.2 cooking on the stove. Three pints for the pantry and one for snackin'. Oh my this is tasty ! If I'm lucky Mrs Sneaky will clean the rest of the berries and bake me a pie tomorrow !
I walked to school rather than ride the bus 3rd grade thru 6th. There was a condemned farmhouse, barn foundation on two levels, numerous fruit trees scattered about and some berry patches. All seriously overgrown and off the beaten path. I took advantage of all those free for the picking berries and fruit for years. My granny, mother, and next door neighbor lady kept me in pies and jam and of course I shared with them also. Life was grand. I kind of considered it stealing, but never was noticed or questioned by anyone. Truth be told, it was totally abandoned and gleaning the fruit before the birds and animals could get it helped all who got the fruit, and hurt no one.
Which is why I called them "Caviar-of-the-woods". Heading to the P-Y-O patch today, we like to freeze & vacuum bag about 15lbs in two cup portions which is the portion we use for pies, cobbler and crisp's.
My mouth has been watering since reading your original post. I was raised on wild blueberries. I ate jam like you made and it was the best. Ben & Jerry had a flavor called Wild Maine Blueberry. It was amazing! Your description- "Caviar-of-the-woods" so spot on.
