Berry

Berries are small fleshy fruits. Most are edible and have one or many seeds. Often very sweet, these small plant species are generally prepared as snacks, desserts, pastries and candies. More and more, they are happily making their way into appetizers and main courses.

Small wild berries have existed since prehistory and have been cultivated for at least 6000 years. Amongst these small berries are grapes, fruits which, together with oranges, apples and bananas, account for the largest consumption in the world.

In fact, thanks to the sophistication of transportation methods and greenhouse production, never in history has such a variety of small fruits been widely available all year round!

Culinary tips and advice 

• Berries should only be washed at the last minute, just before consumption. This prevents early deterioration.
• When buying small fruits in clusters or in bulk, discard any mouldy fruit to avoid further propagation.
• Berries can be eaten plain, cooked, dehydrated, jellied, in marmalade, and in alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

Nutritional Value
As a general rule, berries are low in calories, low in fat, and rich in vitamin C, potassium and magnesium.

Storage life
Berries are very fragile and need to be quickly chilled if stored for a few days. They should not be left at room temperature or exposed to sunlight. They can however be frozen in many different ways. Of all the fruit families, berries are tastiest when consumed as fresh as possible.