Blueberries make an early appearance. isleofman.com Life & Style

THE STUNNING Isle of Man weather during spring has resulted in ripe blueberries making their earliest appearance than for many years.

Within the last week the spell of wet weather, together with relatively warm temperatures, has also made a big difference to the ripening of the berries which are amongst the most nutritious of all wild fruits.

In the Isle of Man it’s traditionally said that it’s a good year if you can have blueberry pie on Tynwald Day, but this year has beaten the deadline by some considerable margin.

Blueberries in the Isle of Man grow in the hedgerows and hills, mostly above 500ft. Mountain roads such as near South Barrule and Druidale are now full of ripe blueberries, although some varieties are reaching ripeness earlier than others.

The crop of wild fruit usually continues well into the summer, finishing near the end of August. So, there’s a great summer ahead for those willing to spend the time collecting this free gift from the hedgerows.

One piece of advice - if you go out later in the day beware of the midgies! They can really spoil your day!

Remarkably, even though blueberries are very plentiful all over the Isle of Man, there is no commercial production of the fruit which is horrendously expensive to buy in your local supermarket. And the taste of local blueberries is wonderfully intense and completely different to the pre-packed, big fat version.

It takes time and patience to collect your own blueberries, but the rewards are amazing and the taste is fantastic. The big bonus is that blueberries are absolutely packed with antioxidants and the good news is that they have no poisonous “impersonators”; they are unmistakable.

Blueberries (sometimes called ‘blaeberries’, although that’s more Scottish than Manx) come from the genus accinium (which also includes cranberries and bilberries). The Americans proudly say they have the best blueberries in the world, but the Isle of Man’s version really takes some beating.

Blueberries grown on this side of the Atlantic are among the best in the world. In recent years blueberries have been lauded for their nutritious qualities, because they're loaded with anthocyanins, which give the berries their blue colour and high levels of antioxidants.

Cooked blueberries lend an intense flash of deep purple-blue to cakes, puddings, sauces, jams and relishes. Some of the best known blueberry recipes come from the US and include blueberry pie, muffins, cheesecake and pancakes.

Blueberries release lots of juice when cooked, which makes them a versatile addition to a variety of dishes. Add the lush, dark berries to muffins, cheesecakes and pancakes or combine them with apple in a crumble, and with other soft fruit in a glorious summer pudding.

Cooking blueberries with a splash of water and a sprinkling of sugar will yield a delicious compôte to serve with Greek-style yogurt. Out of season, dried blueberries are excellent for making muesli. Blueberries freeze extremely well and once thawed make a nutritious, lavender-hued smoothie or just melt them slowly with sugar and make into a wonderful sauce to eat with ice cream.