The Trick For Sweetening Up A Bitter Batch Of Berries

There are few things as disappointing as finally breaking into a fresh carton of in-season berries only to discover that they're lip-puckeringly bitter. Most of us wait all year for the warm summer months to bring us sweet, ripe berries that are perfect for our desserts, smoothies, or just to be enjoyed solo as a snack. However, whether it's strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries, some batches of berries don't taste great even if their bright colors and plump shape seem to signal otherwise.

Several factors make you more likely to be plagued by bitter berries. For instance, damp, cold, and overcast weather during the early summer months can cause berries to turn out sour. Extremely hot weather can also poorly affect the taste of berries, as well as adverse soil conditions, inadequate crop maintenance, and more.

However, before you decide to toss out a whole carton of fruit, there is an easy trick to rescue the berries from their harsh flavors. Macerating your berries, a process of letting fruit soak in a flavored liquid, can transform your once poor-tasting harvest. While this process can take a few hours, it's worth trying out before you condemn your berries to the garbage. And, as a bonus, you can decide which sweet liquid you'd like your berries to be flavored with.

While your go-to way to deal with bitter berries may just be to roll them in sugar, this method doesn't penetrate deep into the fruit. Rather, infusing your berries with a sweet liquid is the way to go. The first step is to select the quarter to half cup of liquid in which you will soak your berries. A small amount of fruit juice is satisfactory, but liquor also works to add a punch to the fruit, ideally spirits with a floral or herbal profile. 

Then, select your sugar. White sugar, honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup are common and should be double the amount of liquid you might add. A splash of balsamic vinegar, a squirt of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of a few herbs or spices can also add a complex layer of flavor.

The berries should soak at room temperature for at least a couple of hours, but leaving them in the fridge overnight may be the most convenient and thorough option. When they're ready, you can add the macerated berries to a fruit salad, enjoy them in cocktails, or drizzle them over ice cream for dessert. So, the next time you get an unexpected batch of bitter berries, you can look forward to creating a fun seasonal treat that will be the perfect complement to warm summer weather.