I worry about gooseberries

[The3]

Aibu

I've just ordered a quince tree for delivery in January, just in time for my birthday : ) It's really hard to get quinces in Ireland and I love them. I can't help with medlar though, I'm going to run out of garden space.

Utterly Yay!

I have 5 quince trees. They are very very prolific, and only a few (5? ) yrs old.
I'm not that fussed on them Tbh - really pretty blossom, but the buggers take an age to cook. I've not make quince jelly yet, or membrillo - that can be this year's trial.

I also have 5, I think, gooseberries, and an allotment pal has offered me another big burp, big purple dessert bush this winter.

MTB it's elderflower season now for me. Perhaps I'll try some elderflower and gooseberry stuff too. Can you recommend any recipes?

My dad's got a good gooseberry crop coming along, plus a young gooseberry bush with my name on once I have a place for it.

Fear not, the gooseberries will continue to thrive for many years yet.

Somewhat surprisingly I've managed to get two cherimoya seedlings out of some pips. No idea if they grow well in the British climate, but I intend to find out!

My mother in law once spilled frozen gooseberries which promptly rolled all over on the floor; she shrieked in dismay, the dog came rushing in to rescue her, and went flying, four legs every which way. Bloody dangerous, they are.

Gooseberry and elderflower jam: 3lb gooseberries, 3lb sugar, pint water, 10 elderflower heads, knob of butter.

Put elderflowers in a piece of muslin then put it in a pan with the berries and water, then bring to boil and simmer for 30 mins. Then add sugar, and knob of butter and bring to jam setting point, take out muslin, remove scum and you’re done.

I love gooseberries; another one to eat straight off the bush here. My friend always howls when I say the word ‘gooseberry’ though; she says guz-bury, and I say goozeberry. What say you, MNs?

Guz-Brie

But tbh I don’t care how people say it as long as they care

You have to let medlars "blet" (ripen/rot) for a few weeks don't you? IDK, I've never had one but they come up as a question on Gardeners' Question Time every other week.

I have a bush of gooseberries and no clue what to do with them. Also redcurrants. I used to be able to palm the redcurrants off on the kids, but they discovered this year that the Juneberry bush in our garden produces far tastier berries at the same time.

So if anyone has any gooseberry and redcurrant pudding recipes, I'd be very interested!

I love them! My Nan used to call the them guzgogs, might be a west country thing. She called dumplings doughboys too.

I'm cringing at all these "guzbries"!

To me, they are "goose - berries!"

Yes, toomuchtooold I saw on an episode of Midsomer Murders many years ago... Joyce was making medlar jelly and she said that they had to be "corrupted" or rotting before you make things with them! Of course, this gave Barnaby a clue as to how to solve his murder mystery

Totally! And blackcurrants and rhubarb. Apparently the 'youff' find them too sour. I loves them all!

I am quite concerned about my gooseberries. The £ land bush is now in its second year and the 3 gooseberries it produced this year committed suicide by jumping off the bush before they were even ripe. The3 perhaps you could come and give it some counselling?

Elephant I was worried I would be shouting into the void when I posted my AIBU, but I am comforted that I am not alone in my concern for our hairy and sour green children. I am happy to counsel your fruit. And then eat them. I had a sour plum crumble with custard for pudding today and I fancy a gooseberry tart with ice cream later in the week.

Also quince and medlar concern: I’m with you on the quinces but a little scared of anything that needs to blet.

I have copied and pasted that elderflower and gooseberry jam recipe - thank you for that! I’m on it!

I have been to a gooseberry pick your own today. I'm now covered in blood and nettle stings (perfect gooseberry conditions are also perfect for nettles so it's a pay off) and £15 worse off but very happy.

Ooh! It’s gooseberry season. I shall get myself to a PYO 😀

Bloody love gooseberries. And rhubarb.

Greengages are another matter though. They proper give me the willies.

I will not have a word said against greengages! They are one of my favorites.

If I were king for the day I would put in place a neglected fruit appreciation topic on mn

I am in New York on holiday. There is a farmers’ market in Union Square, and they are selling gooseberries in punnets.

Greengages are the ninja of fruit. They sneak in in August and then ...pouf! ... like that they are gone.
There's a lovely Nigella greengage jam recipe. Highly recommended.
Growing two types of gooseberry in my garden for the first time this year. Who knew there were two?

@Acrasia - we called them guzgogs in 70s Lancashire!

Off to search for greengage trees on dwarf rooting stock.