In Due Season

Here, at my home in Midwestern America, the first fruits of the season are gooseberries. I have a large bush in the yard that I planted several years ago, without entirely knowing what I would do with the berries. There was a fond childhood memory associated with them, and the expectation of fruit harvest from my own yard was– and still is– a thrilling notion. To see those clusters of jewel-bright berries growing in abundance under the foliage never ceases to fill me with childish delight.

Gooseberries are used in cooking and baking when they are green (unripe) and very tart. I can imagine that, long ago, people became so tired of subsisting on dried fruits from the previous year that they found these translucent berries in all their verdure to be irresistible, and began to find uses for them. Of course, they are almost impossible to eat raw when green. Cooked however, they have a beautifully delicate, complex flavor.

Unfortunately, gooseberry recipes are not as abundant as the berries themselves. I was delighted, therefore, to find a recipe for a Pentecost/Whitsunday gooseberry cake. This cake is a traditional Whitsun treat in Wiltshire, England– where gooseberries are more popular than in America. The recipe also calls for elderflowers, which are a seasonal specialty also popular in England. My elderberry bushes haven’t bloomed yet, however, so I substituted orange flower water in the place of elderflowers.

Here are the firstfruits of my garden, in celebration of the Fruits of the Spirit, and a cake that celebrates these firstfruits as well.

Wiltshire Whitsun Gooseberry Cake

Adapted from the recipe in Berries, by Roger Yepsen, and

• 1 pint tart gooseberries, stems and blossom ends removed
• 5 elderberry blossoms, chopped finely, plus whole blossoms for garnish (or 1/2 teaspoon orange flower water)
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 c. butter
• 2 eggs
• Muscovado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8″ springform pan, line the bottom with parchment, and grease again.
2. Stir together the baking powder and flour. Using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Stir in the sugar, then the eggs.
4. Gently stir in the gooseberries and elderberry blossoms (or orange flower water).
5. Pour the cake mixture into the pan, and bake for 80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan, then sprinkle with muscovado sugar and decorate with elderflowers or gooseberries to serve.