Gooseberry. Quite widespread in the North of Europe this great berry is tricky. Because it grows on a bush full of tiny thorns which makes picking a great challenge. But that just makes it that much more desirable. Gooseberries come in a wide range of varieties from very tart green ones to super sweet red coloured.
Gooseberries are quite large in size and can be eaten raw (tasking much like red currants but with more solid texture) or cooked into fantastic jams or drinks. To prepare the simplest one of them – gooseberry compote (yes a drink not French version of apple sauce also known as compote) you will need to bring to a boil about 2L of water. Add gooseberries (make sure you pull off stems and florets) and about 1 cup of sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 10min then turn off heat, taste it, see if you want more sugar and let it cool down completely. then transfer the liquid into a jug and refrigerate untill ready to serve. If no sugar is added the compote might turn out too sour. Cooked fruit – you may eat them on the side as a dessert so no waste!
The Wooden Spoon 