Cleaning the gooseberries »Here's how to do it right

What to remove from a gooseberry

Ripe gooseberries usually have a smooth, more or less thick skin. At one end there is still a remnant of the fruit stalk after picking. At the other end is the dried up remnant of the flower. Both of these do not dissolve even after prolonged cooking and would noticeably reduce the enjoyment of jam or cake topping. Therefore, the time-consuming cleaning is a matter of honor for the quality-conscious housewife. That is how it goes:

• Wash the fresh gooseberries in lukewarm water
• Use your fingernails to clip off the stems and the brown attachments
• alternatively cut with a small pair of scissors

Smart housewives pack the gooseberries in the potato peeling machine and have them cleaned.

Effectively prevent bursting gooseberries

Cleaning gooseberries is the best opportunity to prevent fruits from bursting with a simple additional movement. This applies to berries that have been boiled down or

frozen and are therefore subject to temperature fluctuations. Each gooseberry is pierced with a thin needle so that the pressure can escape here later.

This trick also works with berries that end up in the oven as a cake topping. The effort is worth it because that eye always eats with gooseberries too.

Don't brush too early

Gooseberries do not keep for a long time after harvest. Uncleaned, they stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. This shelf life, however, is dramatically reduced if the fruits are first cleaned and then stored. In this case, they'll run out in the vegetable drawer after just 2 days. You should therefore always clean the gooseberries just before eating or preparing them.

Tips & Tricks

Are the gooseberry bushes full of berries and threaten to collapse under the load? Then you harvest part of the half-ripe fruit without further ado. They are excellent for Boiling down. The remaining gooseberries remain on the bush to be eaten fully ripe and fresh.

GTH