Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)

AKA: Feaberry, Grozet, Goosegogs

Where: Hedgerows, woodland edges, damp soil. Throughout UK; rare in north Scotland.

What: Berries

When: May – July (early/mid summer)

The Gooseberry is a fairly infrequently encountered hedgerow denizen, but one that is well worth harvesting when stumbled upon. It does not technically grow wild in the UK, despite being ideal conditions for it here, and any that are found in the wild are escapees from domesticated varieties, usually the result of bird theft.

As a shrub, the Gooseberry can grow to 1.5m high, and occasionally taller. It is fairly innocuous in the hedge back, lurking with everything else, but it turns green earlier in the spring than almost everything else around it, which aids in identification. It has smallish broad and lobed leaves, each measuring 4 – 8cm, and which are a dark shiny green above, and a paler green below, with many fine hairs and very prominent veining; the leaves curl inwards in maturity (summer), and vaguely resemble hands. There are numerous very sharp spikes where the leaf meets the stem, and the stem, measuring some 1cm in width, is itself spiny, so some caution is urged when harvesting.

Flowers arrive in mid-spring/early summer, and are tiny, measuring less than 1.0cm, and made up of white petals surrounding a dash of red stamens, and surrounded by 5 sepals of a red-ish colour folded back (often, these are more noticeable than the flower itself).

The fruit, the target of the exercise, is spherical and broadly resembles a grape with a crown of dead sepals. Measuring up to 3cm across, it is a mid to pale green in colour, with clear light green veining and a slightly hairy surface. They taste sweeter the longer you leave them on the ‘vine’, but then, of course you are fighting nature (and other foragers!) for this choice morsel.

They can taste rather tart, so when cooking, add sugar accordingly – I personally prefer them sharp, so I add very little. They taste sort of fruity, white grape-like, subtle, but also large in flavour, with a sour finish. I love them, particularly in tarts, but you can make great sorbet, the classic gooseberry fool, and they go well in crumbles. They really compliment the taste of Elderflower, so creating a cocktail of white rum, Elderflower wine and Gooseberry can be fun! Try them in unexpected places - stuff a fish, make a Gooseberry sauce, or what about a Gooseberry salsa with chilli and garlic?

Gooseberries.