Mark Diacono
LATIN NAME
Rubus phoenicolasius
SEASONALITY
August–September
MORE RECIPES
Barbecued fennel and courgettes with loganberries; Basil pannacotta with minted raspberries; Raspberry almond streusel cake
Years ago, having just moved house, I was given a Japanese wineberry plant by a new neighbour. I didn’t know anything about wineberries and presumed that they were one of the many uninteresting raspberry hybrids: I couldn’t have been more mistaken.
When the fruit appeared – perfectly timed in the lull between the peaks of the summer and autumn raspberry harvests – they were a revelation, with the flavour of a slowly ripened autumn raspberry, mixed with a drop or two of cassis and a hint of red wine. They ripen steadily across the plant, so are rarely harvestable in huge numbers, but they do make a delicious treat and they are perfect where a few handfuls of berries add a special touch to a recipe.
I’ve never seen the fruit for sale, but don’t hesitate to plant some yourself: Japanese wineberries almost grow themselves. Simply plant, water in well and come back in late summer to harvest.
Wineberries are their own species, rather than being hybrid, but grow very much like blackberries, throwing up long arching canes that can reach 2–3 metres. In the second year, as well as producing new canes, the existing canes grow side shoots that bear fruit. Cleverly, the papery calyx that surrounds each berry splits open late, just as the fruit is getting ready to turn from green to orange to red-ripe – a process that happens very quickly – meaning that you, rather than the birds, get to eat them. These fruited canes will produce only once and can be pruned off at ground level after picking, though I tend to leave them until spring, as the pink bristles along their length catch the winter light beautifully.
WINEBERRIES WITH PEACHES AND CUSTARD
This is a simple way to make the most of these glorious fruits. You will need to prepare the custard ahead because it has to be chilled. Other berries such as raspberries, blackberries, mulberries or loganberries all work well here too. Serves 4
300g Japanese wineberries
A good squeeze of lemon juice
3–4 medium peaches or nectarines
FOR THE CUSTARD
200ml whole milk
300ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
50g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
3 medium egg yolks
For the custard, put the milk and cream into a saucepan. Split open the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife into the pan. Add the scraped-out pod too. Bring to just below simmering, then take off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks together in a bowl until well combined. Pour on the hot milk and cream, whisking as you do so.
Return this mixture to a clean pan and cook gently over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until the custard thickens. Don’t let it boil, or it may ‘split’.
Pass the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl or jug and cover the surface directly with cling film or baking parchment, to stop a skin forming. Allow it to cool, then chill in the fridge.
When you are ready to serve, place the wineberries in a bowl and crush them lightly with the back of a spoon. Stir in the lemon juice.
Halve and de-stone the peaches, then slice each half into small chunks. Divide the peach chunks between serving glasses.
Spoon over the crushed wineberries and pour over the chilled custard (you may not need it all). Serve straight away, with shortbread biscuits if you like.