Redcurrant

What it is

A redcurrant is a small berry related to the gooseberry, about 0.8–1.2 cm (⅜–½ in) across. Light passes through its red skin. Berries hang together in clusters, with 8–30 fruits in a cluster.

Named varieties offer different bites. Rovada has large, aromatic berries on long clusters. Red Lake has dark-red fruit with a mild, gently tart taste. The fruit’s natural pectin, the substance that helps a jelly set, makes redcurrants particularly useful in the preserving pan.

Where it comes from

Redcurrants come from western Europe, and they have long been grown in the United States too. In the 1600s, growers in Belgium and northern France developed varieties with larger berries. Red Lake, introduced by the University of Minnesota in 1933, became popular across the United States and Europe.

How it's eaten where it grows

The Linzer torte, named after the Austrian city of Linz, is filled with redcurrant jam. Ground hazelnuts or almonds, cinnamon and a little clove flavour the buttery pastry, and thin strips of dough form a lattice over the jam.

In Britain, redcurrant jelly accompanies roast lamb. Cooks simmer the berries, strain the juice through cloth, then boil it with sugar until it sets. The finished jelly keeps the fruit’s acidity without its skins and seeds.

How it's grown

Unlike their gooseberry relatives, redcurrant bushes have smooth canes with no thorns. They do best with morning sun and afternoon shade: heat above 29°C (85°F) can damage the plants, and intense sun can scorch the leaves. A young bush usually gives a light crop in its second year and a full one in its third.

Pickers cut whole clusters, called strigs, rather than pulling off individual berries. The stems come off in the kitchen.

When and where you'll find it

In Britain, early and late varieties usually stretch the harvest from July into August. Pick-your-own farms are one route to the fresh fruit: at Forde Abbey Fruit Farm, near Chard on the Somerset–Dorset border, the usual redcurrant harvest is July. In Minnesota, it usually falls in July and August.

The berries also freeze in whole clusters. A frozen sprig can go straight into a glass of iced tea or lemonade.