22 July 2011 American Gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) 22 July 2011 American Gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum).

Gooseberry varieties fall into two categories: the small fruited but mildew resistant American gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) and the larger European gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)

About three liters of (Ribes hirtellum)berries were picked, and is made into natural juice. The fruit is a bit tart, but sweet enough to eat raw. There is another plant in the garden which is called European Gooseberry. The fruit is about twice as large as the American type and a bit sweeter. The European Gooseberry fruits will be picked this week.

The berries are cleaned by covering in water and removing the floating leaves. Water is added to cover the berries, and they are brought to a boil and turned into a mash using the portable blender. The mash is strained and placed in liter jars and then Pressure Canned at 12 PSI for 15 minutes for long term storage at room temperature. I drink the juice at meal time, about a glass per day.

Juicing is a convenient method of preserving the various Summer fruit.