Sunday, August 22, 2010

Blackberries in Contrast


Blackberries are the chameleon of summer fruit. At Restoration Farm, they ripen from fire-engine red to inky black. Depending on the sunlight, the ripe berries can vary from shades of burgundy to deep blue to ebony.
So how best to showcase this multi-faceted jewel of the summer? A tart, silky, Buttermilk Panna Cotta offers a perfect, stark-white canvas to accentuate the dramatic good looks of the blackberry.
To make a fruit sauce to surround the panna cotta, sprinkle two cups of fresh blackberries with ¼ cup of sugar and crush some of the fruit. Leave at room temperature for one hour, stir occasionally, and a luxurious, plummy purple sauce gathers.
It is yet another distinctive mood for summer’s darkest and sweetest temptation.
©2010 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

14 comments:

~I AM Love~* said...

That looks so yummy, I'd love to dip my spoon into it .. :) Glad to hear you're enjoying the 'fruit' of the labor at the farm!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a gorgeous dessert T.W. I know it would certainly get "oohs and ahs" at a dinner party. Beautiful presentation.

My mother used to make blackberry jelly when I was growing up. You've brought back fond memories for me on this rainy Sunday morning of helping her sort through the colorful fresh berries.
Sam

Fresh Local and Best said...

I like the idea of blackberries topped on a creamy base with a touch of sweetness, which showcases all the nuances of the berries gorgeously without the distraction.

Deana Sidney said...

I love buttermilk panna cotta.. all the rich without the calories and the tang does wonderful things to fruit... great suggestion TW, I'm making it tonight!

veron said...

I love buttermilk panna cotta! And I agree that blackberries would be perfect for it!

Foodiewife said...

We are on the same wavelength. I'm making panna cota today to showcase some lovely fruit that I just purchased. It's so easy, yet makes such a wow statement. Lovely!

Kalyn Denny said...

Wow, this sounds fantastic!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

I love blackberries, and I'm lucky to have a neighbor with a big patch available for the picking.

~~louise~~ said...

The kids and I spent the afternoon picking berries. It was delightful! At the moment, the only thing I can think of more bejeweling than Buttermilk Panna Cotta is seeing their tiny fingers gently plucking and popping.

Have a wonderful week T.W:) Thanks for sharing...

tasteofbeirut said...

I adore blackberries which is unfortunate because I end up eating the whole lot of them and have none left for a beautiful creamy dessert like this one!

Velva said...

I was just leaning over my sink eating a piece of caramel cake-now, I am looking at a delightful healthy alternative, your blog post!!!

Lori Lynn said...

Ooh we are huge panna cotta fans around here. Your blackberries look like a perfect companion. We ate dinner at Graham Elliot over the weekend and I am going to steal his idea of horseradish panna cotta , I'll serve with my new brisket idea, he served with short ribs.
LL

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a wonderful dessert combination, especially if the berries have a hint of sweetness about them. I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Chef Dennis Littley said...

you make that panacotta look so good with those lovely blackberries...it is truly a contrast...I have so many great memories of blackberries, we had fields of wild berries next to our house....