Talk to me about TUMMELBERRIES please!

[snowleopard]

Went PYO today, bloody brilliant, DS loved it and we have piles of raspberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries which I know what to do with. But DP took it into his head to pick about a kilo of tummelberries. They taste yuk - kind of bitter and tangy - so I'm thinking jam, but does anyone about them and have any jam tips?

(have done google search - apparently they are a crazy blackberry/raspberry hybrid invented by a bonkers scottish research institute - but the wyndhamesque boffins involved didn't think to post any jam recipes)

know about them

Oh I am

I like odd tangy berries

can't you just eat them mixed in with some sweeter fruit and a load of cream?

Might try that, but I don't trust them tbh. They're really not nice. You know how gooseberries and cranberries really have to have stuff done to them to be nice - they have that air about them.

I'm sure you could track some down F&Z! Any pyos near you?

Ohh, they're usually lovely - a raspberry/blackberry cross, like a loganberry.

They would stew with sugar if you wanted to sweeten them up - they would probably mush up a little bit though. Might be worth a try anyway. Perhaps stew them with apple for even more sweetness.

Hmmm do you think we might have got dud ones WWB?

I like my berries a little sharp, so I'm perhaps not the best person to ask! They shouldn't taste bitter though.

Yes we POO (Picked Our Own) yesterday but despite 6 varieties of raspberries, 3 of strawberries, broad beans, red and black currants, there were no tummelberries. Have never heard of them before so am intrigued.

Right have nibbled a few more and some of them were sweeter and nicer, but some have a kind of weird shake-n-vac taste - a bit like that physalis (sp?) orangey ball-shaped fruit you get on posh puddings. (or are you not meant to eat that? ) I think lots of sugar is the way ahead - will try stewed with apples.

F&Z they look a bit like loganberries, ie like extra-long, extra-dark raspberries, but without the hollow inside. No need to be though, they're not all that.