Farmor’s Black Currants
Farmor loves growing her black currants. They have a prime spot in the front yard right next to the potato field. At the end of Summer you’ll find Farmor in the middle of the thicket picking every last one. The black currants have a very important job – they provide the family with enough home-made black currant juice (ribena) to last the whole year.
First Farmor boils the juice out of the berries. Next she squishes and sieves the berries by hand to get every last drop. Then she adds cloves (or cinnamon) and sugar to flavour the berry syrup which also helps to preserve it. She stores the syrup in glass bottles in the cold room (a normal room in the house that doesn’t have the heater on!) When Farmor wants to use the black berry syrup she adds water just like cordial. The drink can be served hot or cold.
At meals, family gatherings and celebrations there is always a jug of black currant juice on the table. Sunday grøt wouldn’t be the same without it. Farmor is very keen on helping the family eat healthy and her black currant juice is jammed packed with real vitamin C – perfect for the long Winters. Even so, I don’t think her juice would taste half as good without the love it took to make it.
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Farmor sounds like a perfect grandma! The currant juice looks delicious. How wonderful that she is so active and helpful in teaching the family to eat healthy.
L-Jay, I always enjoy visiting your blog. And I love every single comment you write on Heart Choices. Glad we are friends.
Hugs,
Debbie
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from L-Jay:
Farmor visited us on the weekend and do you know what she brought with her? Pure, unadulterated, black current syrup! She made it especially for me – without sugar – so we have to keep it in the fridge and use it as soon as we can. But it still has that fantastic flavour. Mmmmh, black curranty juicy flavour.
I’ve tasted that.
Good stuff.
With just a little loving care, the black currant juice could probably be made into a good wine as well. Just one more option to help you get thru those long winters in the far north.
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from L-Jay:
You know, I’ve heard about that! Also, here in Tromsø, there are rhubarb farms for making Mack brewery beer!