How to pick and cook blackberries 4

Few things sum up British summertime better than a scramble through a blackberry bush clutching an empty tub of margarine. And, provided you're not trespassing on private property, blackberry picking is a great way of sourcing a cheap summer pud. Crumbles and pies aside what can you do with the bountiful berry? Here are our top tips for handling all that free fruit... Choose carefully Like many things in life, the most successful blackberries will be ones that stand out from the crowd. They should be shiny and firm when you pick them though fruits do seem to vary in flavour from place to place. Seasoned blackberry hunters often have favourite bushes whose harvest they prefer to any neighbouring bush. As you can try before you 'buy' shop around to find what suits you, avoiding bushes by busy roads or fruit low enough to be 'watered' by passing dogs.