The blackcurrant, a small, tart berry, that when married with sugar can be made into jams, sauces, syrups, fruit drinks, and purple candy, is popular across Europe. But most Americans struggle to describe its flavor. Advertisement
“A large majority [of Americans] have never eaten one — probably less than 0.1%,” Marvin Pritts, a professor of horticulture at Cornell University, told Business Insider.
In the late 1800s, US farmers grew around 7,400 acres of blackcurrants, gooseberries, and white currants, together known as Ribes species, with New York state leading production, according to a report in the journal HortTechnology.
Pathologists discovered that blackcurrants spread a fungus, introduced from Europe in the 19th century, that killed white pine trees, the backbone of the nations timber industry. The federal government took aggressive action: it outlawed the commercial growth of blackcurrants in the early 1900s and financed a program to eradicate Ribes plants.
Crews outfitted with backpacks of chemical spray fanned out across the country. As field after field of Ribes were destroyed, the American consumers memory of the deep purple fruit was also erased.
It’s quite rich and darkly fruity with an earthiness and a backnote a little bit like a concentrated black grape but without the vine flavour that you get with both grapes and tomatoes.
Blackcurrants take a different path in Europe
Blister rust fungus was a well-known nuisance in Europe before it was brought to America. But in contrast to the US, Europe had few commercial pine tree plantations. Blackcurrants, on the other hand, had been an important crop for a long time. “In Europe the white pine was sacrificed to retain the Ribes,” writes Benedict.
Today, Europe produces 99.1% of the worlds currants (which lumps blackcurrants, red and white currants, and sometimes gooseberries into one group), according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. Two-thirds of blackcurrants produced in Europe are used for juice, according to a 2007 report from the European Commission. Advertisement
In England, a blackcurrant cordial mixed with water gained popularity as a vitamin C supplement given to children to prevent scurvy during World War II, after Germanys U-boat campaign prevented citrus fruits like oranges and lemons from entering the UK. Brits will know the name — its called Ribena.
In 2010, 90% of all blackcurrants grown in Britain were destined for Ribenas bottling factory in Gloucestershire, according to The Guardian. Ribena and energy drink Lucozade did roughly £500 million in combined sales for GlaxoSmithKline in 2012, according to the Financial Times. Both products were sold to a Japanese company in 2013 for over £1.3 billion.
All varieties with Ben in their name come from the Scottish Research Institute. Ben Sarek is a more compact plant making it nice for the home garden. It bears resemblance to Blackdown in bush form and holds its berries in tight clusters. For me it has been only moderately productive. The berries are larger than all of the other cultivars and tend to have a unique flavor that I’ve yet to figure out. Less complex and less tart and almost a mild dirty flavor…as if they’re slightly rotten. It also gets this weird rot where the berries become very soft with an unagreeable flavor, unlike any other cultivar. Aside from the compact nature and large fruit size Ben Sarek doesn’t have much going for it. It is partially resistant to WPBR but has never shown signs in my trials.
Consort was released from the Central Experiment Farm to replace Crusader as a commercial variety in the 1950’s. Why, I’m not sure…as I tend to prefer Crusader. Consort fruit are small and relatively poor quality in my opinion. They’re sharp and have that characteristic ‘musky flavor’ but lack depth and seem inferior to Crusader. Consort does produce long strigs that tend to ripen pretty evenly. Consort is entirely WPBR resistant. Coronet is another one from the Canadian breeding program that I’ve yet to try.
Blackdown is an English variety that is reportedly not 100% rust resistant, however its never showed any signs in my trials. The bush is more compact than most with very close leaf nodes making the canopy dense. So far it has been a little less productive than the other varieties but produces the highest quality fruit in my opinion. The flavor of blackdown is outstanding– they have the same acidity thats common with varieties like Crusader except they’ve consistently had a higher sugar content which really supports the sharpness and makes for an overall more pleasant mouth experience. The berries are medium sized with moderatly thick skin. Higher sugar content would make Blackdown more acceptable for the average American palate I think. I am going to plant a lot more of this variety because I like it so much.
I haven’t been able to find much information about this variety besides that it was developed in Bulgaria and is a more recent introduction. This has been hands down the most productive variety for me. Also the most vigorous grower that requires aggressive pruning. The branches tend to lodge when holding big crops and are more laterally dominant than varieties like Consort and Titania (conducive for layering). The berries ripen over a long period starting early in the season (need to take more notes on ripening times*); generally its the first to ripen here. This is a great variety for somebody new to black currants or for the more tamed palate as it is very mild. Thick skin can be a turn off for some folks, Minaj scores well in this department with the thinnest skin of all. It lacks the tart punch that almost all black currants have which makes it nice for eating out of hand. However, if you’re after that traditional black currant flavor than Minaj is probably not for you. I enjoy the berries because they ripen first and I always realize its blandness when compared to some of the later ripening cultivars. Minaj is reliably resistant to WPBR.
It has been a joy to compare these different varieties and if it weren’t for the diversity than the contrast would be minimum and there wouldn’t be much to judge against. I hope to pay closer attention in future years to ripening times and pest resistance, primarily regarding currant borer and aphids. Also, further experimentation in the kitchen will prove which varieties are best for cooking, juicing, etc. All in all black currant has been one of the most successful, less-maintenance fruits in my gardening experiments.
TASTE EVERY FRUIT – 39 – Black currant
FAQ
What do blackcurrants taste like?
Why don t shops sell blackcurrants?
Are blackcurrants better for you than blueberries?
What fruit is similar to black currant?
Do black currants taste good?
Pro tip: When cooking with black currants, it’s important to balance their tartness with sweetness. Consider adding some sugar or honey to your recipes to bring out the fruit’s natural sweetness. Black currants have a sharp and tangy taste with a balance of sweetness and acidity.
Is there iron in blackcurrants?
The blackcurrant has approximately 1 mg of iron per 100 gr. However, it is not a good source of iron since it is non-heme iron and contains little amount.
Are black currants sweet?
Though not as sweet as some other berries, the natural sugars in black currants provide a pleasant balance to the tartness. This sweet-tart combination contributes to the overall strong flavor these berries are known for. Another noticeable characteristic of black currants is their earthy flavor, which becomes more pronounced as the fruit ripens.
Are black currants good for You?
Consuming fiber-rich foods like black currants can help lower the risk of developing digestive diseases. The seeds of black currants are also beneficial, as they contain omega-3 fatty acids that support brain function and heart health. When it comes to minerals, black currants are an excellent source of manganese and iron.