I've made about 6 blueberry pies so far this year and all but 1 has had a sour taste to them. The blueberries I've purchased have not been as sweet as the ones I purchased for that one pie that worked, but it seems the baked blueberries were quite a bit more sour than when eaten by hand. Any insight?
Your thoughts - all but one of my blueberry pies have been tart/sour
- Thread starter deb-in-mi
- Start date
deb, the fresh blueberries I have been using are BITTER. I'm talking *eyes blinking shut in...
surprise!* bitter.
And an odd thing I noticed was when I used Rosie's method (cook 1/3 with sugar/thickener, then add fresh and add to baked pie shell) tasted (relatively) fine, but when I used that exact method and did a double raw crust and baked it in the oven, it went bitter! I was actually surprised because I tasted the blueberries BEFORE they went into the shell/oven and they weren't as bitter.
Could it possibly be they are adding something to the fruit to make them bluer? Bigger? Blueberry-ier? and that *unknown* is intensifying in the oven?
well, you've certainly piqued my interest. I just assumed it was lousy fruit yet again.
surprise!* bitter.
And an odd thing I noticed was when I used Rosie's method (cook 1/3 with sugar/thickener, then add fresh and add to baked pie shell) tasted (relatively) fine, but when I used that exact method and did a double raw crust and baked it in the oven, it went bitter! I was actually surprised because I tasted the blueberries BEFORE they went into the shell/oven and they weren't as bitter.
Could it possibly be they are adding something to the fruit to make them bluer? Bigger? Blueberry-ier? and that *unknown* is intensifying in the oven?
well, you've certainly piqued my interest. I just assumed it was lousy fruit yet again.
Yep, I was thinking maybe there is a chemical reaction when cooked?
I was embarrassed serving the pie last night (although I had topped the crust with lots of turbino sugar so that helped) and this morning when Jerry had a piece with breakfast he actually lifted the top crust and then sprinkled a bit of sugar on it.
I was embarrassed serving the pie last night (although I had topped the crust with lots of turbino sugar so that helped) and this morning when Jerry had a piece with breakfast he actually lifted the top crust and then sprinkled a bit of sugar on it.
aw, you have to love a man who eats pie for breakfast.
Have you tried Rosie's "add fresh to cooked" method?
Sadly, I can't give an EXACT recommendation because I was still using King Arthur's Pie Enhancement stuff at the time, which has thickener in it--so I didn't follow her exact recipe (using corn starch). But if we're only talking blueberry taste, I can definitely recommend it. PLUS, it has the added bonus that you KNOW what the filling will taste like BEFORE you put it into the baked crust. Also, you can use the filling on ANYTHING, like pancakes or ice cream or "insert spoon directly into mouth."
I used my copy of her Pastry Bible, but the recipe is all over the place. You might want to read the reviews to see if there is anything you might change.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/open-faced-fresh-blueberry-pie-101866
Have you tried Rosie's "add fresh to cooked" method?
Sadly, I can't give an EXACT recommendation because I was still using King Arthur's Pie Enhancement stuff at the time, which has thickener in it--so I didn't follow her exact recipe (using corn starch). But if we're only talking blueberry taste, I can definitely recommend it. PLUS, it has the added bonus that you KNOW what the filling will taste like BEFORE you put it into the baked crust. Also, you can use the filling on ANYTHING, like pancakes or ice cream or "insert spoon directly into mouth."
I used my copy of her Pastry Bible, but the recipe is all over the place. You might want to read the reviews to see if there is anything you might change.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/open-faced-fresh-blueberry-pie-101866
I don't know where your fruits are coming from but I have noticed the fruit here
is not as sweet or juicy this year. Just this morning I was telling my husband my favorite peach, Oh Henry, is out and I bought a bunch from the Farmer's Market. First time they have been rather hard, dry and not very sweet.
I read, and was told that fruit needs a lot of water to ripen and become sweet. We are in severe drought conditions here and the grower's are on water allotment and that has some effect on the fruits. On the other hand, my neighbor has a peach tree and I am certain she is watering it well. Her fruit is super juicy and sweet. Is the area where your fruits are sourced in a drought, as well?
I have a young, small blueberry bush in a pot on my patio and the berries I got off it this year were large, sweet and juicy.
is not as sweet or juicy this year. Just this morning I was telling my husband my favorite peach, Oh Henry, is out and I bought a bunch from the Farmer's Market. First time they have been rather hard, dry and not very sweet.
I read, and was told that fruit needs a lot of water to ripen and become sweet. We are in severe drought conditions here and the grower's are on water allotment and that has some effect on the fruits. On the other hand, my neighbor has a peach tree and I am certain she is watering it well. Her fruit is super juicy and sweet. Is the area where your fruits are sourced in a drought, as well?
I have a young, small blueberry bush in a pot on my patio and the berries I got off it this year were large, sweet and juicy.
If you google "sour blueberries" there are a lot of entries, mostly saying that
the fruit has been picked before fully ripe--or that the plants that it is picked from are over produced. Interesting ideas. We have been getting really good berries fortunately. Had some from my FM person that came from their personal bushes--tasted like good wild blueberries.
the fruit has been picked before fully ripe--or that the plants that it is picked from are over produced. Interesting ideas. We have been getting really good berries fortunately. Had some from my FM person that came from their personal bushes--tasted like good wild blueberries.
I think I'm going to try to make another pieI love the mix of cooked and fresh. My recipe came from another source but similar.
http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=155038
http://www.eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=155038
mariadnoca
Moderator
Early on peaches were great - the drought improved them
I read an article that with less water the stone fruit here in CA had more concentrated flavor, much like tomatoes. However, whatever is in the stores now is awful - just like the past several years. I had one good peach this year and I should've bought enough for a pie, but I didn't and I'm kicking myself for it.
I read an article that with less water the stone fruit here in CA had more concentrated flavor, much like tomatoes. However, whatever is in the stores now is awful - just like the past several years. I had one good peach this year and I should've bought enough for a pie, but I didn't and I'm kicking myself for it.
Even in CA, I am sure peaches in the stores are refrigerated and when that happens
to a peach (or tomato), the ripening/sweetening process is stopped cold and all they do is turn mealy. I won't buy a peach out of season--or in a supermarket!! And fortunately, I don't have to. ;o)
The reverse is true of corn--it should be refrigerated immediately after picking to preserve the sugar in the kernels and keep it from turning to starch, which will happen within a day or so of picking at regular temps. ;o)
to a peach (or tomato), the ripening/sweetening process is stopped cold and all they do is turn mealy. I won't buy a peach out of season--or in a supermarket!! And fortunately, I don't have to. ;o)
The reverse is true of corn--it should be refrigerated immediately after picking to preserve the sugar in the kernels and keep it from turning to starch, which will happen within a day or so of picking at regular temps. ;o)