Gooseberry Worcesterberry - Ribes uva-crispa

The Worcesterberry Bush is a productive, vigorous variety that is particularly resistant to powdery mildew and self-fertile. The fruits, round in shape with slightly hairy red skin and translucent pink flesh, have a pleasant fragrance and are both sweet and tangy. Rich in pectin, they are perfect for making jellies or jams. Slightly crunchy, fresh berries are delicious and their subtle aroma works wonders in pastries and as an accompaniment to fish or savoury dishes. They are harvested from mid-July.

The Worcesterberry gooseberry bush (Ribes grossularia var. uva-crispa) belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, just like Redcurrant Bushes (Ribes rubrum) and Blackcurrant Bushes (Ribes nigrum). Cultivated in northern Europe since the 16th century, the Gooseberry Bush is a fertile hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of two species native to Europe and North Africa, still found in montane forests in Scotland, France, and the Caucasus.

The Gooseberry is a bushy, thorny shrub with a clump-like habit of slightly stiff, branching, and spreading stems. This very hardy bush reaches a height of 1 m (3ft) with a spread of 75 cm (30in). The foliage is deciduous (absent in winter), composed of palmate, lobed, and aromatic leaves of medium green. This shrub resembles classic currant bushes, but differs mainly in terms of the fruits: larger, with a sweet flavour, they appear solitary along the branches unlike other currants. Except for a few thornless varieties, the Gooseberry Bush has prickly stems. The flowering occurs in spring, in the form of clusters of insignificant greenish flowers, intensely visited by bees. The fruiting primarily occurs on one- to two-year-old branches. The bush then becomes covered with translucent berries, round to oval in shape, with a diameter of 1.2 cm (1in), distributed along the branches, resembling marbles and containing small seeds. Harvesting, spread out as the fruits ripen, is simplified due to the size of the grains.

The Worcesterberry Bush produces 3 to 5 kg of fruit per plant depending on the age and growing conditions of the plant. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Moreover, their low sugar content classifies them among the least energy-rich berries (50 kcal per 100 g).

Like colourful marbles, Gooseberry fruits are a true delicacy in the summer. Picked from the bush, they are exquisite when eaten fresh, and for added indulgence, they can be sprinkled with a little granulated sugar. In cooking, to reduce the acidity of the fruits, they can be blanched for a minute and then cooled under cold water. Excellent in jellies or jams, they can also be used to garnish pies and make cakes. They are perfect for making syrups, sorbets, ice creams, or desserts. The subtle balance between the fruit's aromas and acidity offers an interesting use for accompanying meats (game, poultry, etc.), fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna, etc.), or as a touch in mixed salads.

In summer, the Gooseberry Bush provides the satisfaction of bountiful harvests and the pleasure of enjoying tasty fruits, but be careful of the thorns. In the garden, it finds its place in association with other currant bushes, raspberry bushes, or other varieties of berries to form an edible hedge.