Blueberries

I just want to say thank you to whoever dropped off the beautiful box of wild blueberries on my doorstep last week. An unexpected and anonymous gift of the season's best is a wonderful way of reminding us of the kindness and generosity of those around us. I love especially that everyone is suspect, making me feel a little more loving to all my friends and neighbours. I'm going to pass it on, and maybe at the farm market this week, you'll buy an extra bit of something to leave on your neighbour's doorstep too.

Fresh blueberries are a real treat, and this is the truly Nova Scotian way to indulge:

Blueberry Gumbo

2 pints Blueberries, wild or cultivated (we're loving Lazy Brook)
1/3 C. Sugar
1 T.Lemon Juice
1 T. Cornstarch
a pinch of Salt

Combine the ingredients in a large, wide pot and gently bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and let cook a minute while you make the dough:

1 1/2 C. Flour (Whole Wheat also works great!)
2 1/4 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
2 T. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Sour Cream (Low-fat works very well)

Combine the dry ingredients. then stir in the sour cream to make a soft dough. Using a 1/4 C. measure, scoop up portions of the dough and place on top of the blueberries. Try to space them apart-they will grow together a bit as they cook! Cover the pot and let cook for about 25 minutes, until the dumplings are puffed and dry to the touch on top. Scoop out portions with a good measure of the sauce and serve with sour cream, whipped cream, or vanilla yogurt.