Blueberries — season, tips, and recipes in New Zealand
Blueberries is a fruit available in New Zealand during December, January, February, March, peaking in January, February. This page is a practical guide for home cooks: when to buy blueberries, how to pick a good one, how to store it, what it goes well with, three original recipes, and detailed nutrition information.
NZ blueberries are mainly grown in Waikato and Bay of Plenty. The short season makes them a premium product.
How to pick a good one
Dusty grey bloom = fresh. Shiny = old. Should be firm and uniform in colour.
How to store it
Fridge unwashed in their punnet. Wash before eating. Freeze beautifully on a tray.
Goes well with
lemon: Lemon acid brightens blueberry's slightly muddy, heavy sweetness. The combination makes blueberries taste more distinctly of blueberry. Almost every good blueberry cake has lemon zest in it for this reason.
vanilla: Vanilla's floral warmth amplifies blueberry's aroma without competing with it. The combination in cream or custard tastes more complex than vanilla alone and less heavy than blueberry alone.
oats: Oats' mild, slightly nutty flavour acts as a neutral backdrop for blueberry. The textural combination of soft berry and chewy grain is as important as the flavour.
cream: Fat carries flavour. Blueberries with cream taste more intensely of blueberry than blueberries alone. The slight acidity of creme fraiche works particularly well.
Recipes
Blueberry Muffins
Simple. Makes 12.
Ingredients: 250g flour, 150g sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 200ml milk, 80ml oil, 200g blueberries
Method: Mix dry ingredients. Whisk wet ingredients separately. Combine (don't overmix, lumps are fine). Fold in blueberries. Spoon into muffin cases. Bake 190C for 20 min.
Blueberry Pancakes
Weekend breakfast. 15 minutes.
Ingredients: 1 cup flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk, 100g blueberries, butter for frying
Method: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder. Whisk in egg and milk. Fold in blueberries. Fry spoonfuls in butter until bubbles form, flip, cook until golden.
Blueberry & Lemon Yoghurt Bark
Frozen snack. Kids love it.
Ingredients: 500g yoghurt, 2 tbsp honey, 1 lemon (zest), 150g blueberries
Method: Mix yoghurt with honey and lemon zest. Spread on a lined tray. Scatter blueberries and press in gently. Freeze 3 hours. Break into shards.
Nutrition
One cup provides 24% of your daily vitamin C, 36% of your vitamin K, and 25% of your manganese. Among the highest antioxidant foods ever measured. The deep blue colour comes from anthocyanins, which cross the blood-brain barrier and are being studied for cognitive benefits. About 84 calories per cup. Frozen blueberries are just as nutritious as fresh.