Huckleberries

Have you ever eaten huckleberries? Have you ever seen them? For years, I thought they were a type of blueberry since they look and taste so much alike. But, they’re not.

When I was beginning my teen years, my friend and I would go into the wooded area behind her house and pick them just to eat. I though it was so cool that these berries were just sitting there, no one wanting them, and we could have as many as we desired. Those days are gone since the area behind her house has since become a township park and the wooded area cut back dramatically to accommodate it. Plus, we’ve both since moved away (I returned), married, divorced (in my case), had children, grandchildren and lost access to both of the homes of our childhoods. Things just aren’t the same.

Part of the confusion lies in the fact that huckleberries are called blueberries in some parts of North America. The blue varieties’ look and taste is similar to that of blueberries. Huckleberries also have a red variety, which makes confusing them a bit more difficult. Another difference is that blueberries have many tiny seeds while huckleberries 10 larger seeds that are very noticeable when eating them. I imagine that the red berries resemble cranberries since all three berries belong to the same plant family, Ericaceae.

Whatever you can do with blueberries, you can do with huckleberries, be it jams, syrups, jellies, pies or cobblers. So, don’t hesitate if someone offers to give you some fresh picked huckleberries.These berries are harder to come by in the marketplace since they are not cultivated like blueberries and cranberries. Their rarity makes them a very special treat indeed. (link to HuckleBuckle in the image)