Farm Focus for July: OlallieberryYou locals are no stranger to the olallieberry. You've heard the hype. You've eaten the pie. When visitors asked you, "What the heck is an olallieberry?" you checked wikipedia, so you know it's a modern cross between a youngberry and a loganberry. Which is to say it's a delicate, skinny blackberry with a pedigree.
(Thanks to edrabbit on flickr for the photo)
By the Spoonful's picks for local olallieberry flavor:
Swanton is the only organic u-pick around. The last time my dad and I tried to pick there, it was closed due to wildfires! So we turned to nearby Phipps, known for their heirloom beans but also a great spot to pick berries.
Someday I'll get over jam fever enough to bake with olallieberries, because yummmm. Check out the gorgeous photos and recipes (Olallieberry Orange Shortbread Napoleons, anyone?) at Dessert First.
Olallies are king in Santa Cruz. You can even drink them in your beer!
Last but not least, my tower of olallieberry jam! I was lucky enough to get my hands on a flat from Medina Farms (previously featured on Farm Focus) just in time to send a few jars home with my own visitors.
