The blueberry is one
of the few native fruits of North America,
and, along with its cousin, the cranberry, was introduced to
the European settlers by Native Americans.
The early settlers immediately took to the
blueberry since it is very similar in look
and taste to the European Bilberry (also known as the whortleberry),
which was cultivated in European gardens,
along with the barberry, strawberry, mulberry
and currant, as early as the 16th century.
Native Americans taught the settlers to use
the blueberry as a spice by rubbing it onto
meats like venison and wild turkey, and to
add it to otherwise dull corn meal cakes.
They were able to profit from the colonists'
love of blueberries. They sold the colonists
sun-dried berries by the bushel, so that
the settlers could add color and flavor to
their meals even in the cold New England
winter. Although our recipes are not as exotic as
a Blueberry Venison, as the early settlers
might recognize, they are tried and true
favorites that have been in the family for
decades.
![]() | Classic Blueberry Muffins | ![]() | Blueberry Sauce |
![]() | Pam's Blueberry Pie | ![]() | Blueberry Corn Bread |
![]() |
Jane's Blueberry Coffee Cake |
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