it was a tie

August 11 2009 by Kristin at The Kitchen Sink in Vacation » 19 comments

Oh, dear. Somehow, a week has slipped away since my last post. You’ve been there on your side of the computer and I’ve been here on my side, but the space between us—this little site—has been silent. Which is funny, because my real life has been anything but quiet. It’s been a busy (one might call it “crazed” or perhaps even “frantic”) week, but in all the right ways. We spent a long weekend in Minnesota, way up north on Lake Superior, visiting my grandparents. Details and recipes and photos from the trip will be along shortly, but before that, I have news.

On Saturday, we staged the Second Annual Blueberry Picking Contest of the North. This year’s competition was fierce and included the following contenders:

(1) My Mom;

(2) My Sister, Ali;

(3) My Grandpa;

(4) My Stepdad, Ren;

(5) My Grandma;

(6) Kevin; and

(7) Yours Truly.

The contest, due to dive-bombing mosquitos and fierce biting flies, was short-lived. But for 45 minutes or so, we seven fanned out in a burned out section of the northwoods, scanning the ground for wild blueberry bushes and frantically filling our pails with the tiny berries. Back at my grandparents’ house, we measured the results and pronounced a winner. Or, rather, winners: it was a tie!

Today I proudly announce the co-champions of the Second Annual Blueberry Picking Contest of the North: my sister and ME! Can you believe it readers? I half won! I was thrilled (despite the blue-stained hands and arms and legs full of bug bites). Now all that’s left to do is decide what to do with my bounty, which feels a little bit like a stash of precious jewels.

Any suggestions for my haul of wild blueberries, readers?

19 comments so far. »
| Leave a Reply

dawn says on August 11 2009 at 10:21 am:

ohhh heavens wild blueberry jam so those winters months when you have griddle cakes.
Whitney says on August 11 2009 at 10:28 am:

I love your Grandparents hands!

I vote for scones!
tina says on August 11 2009 at 10:54 am:

Icecream sundays with blueberry sauce!
Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Oridanry says on August 11 2009 at 11:03 am:

Umm I happen to have the best blueberry muffin recipe in the world….in case your looking….

http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com/2009/07/blueberry-pickin.html
ingrid says on August 11 2009 at 11:15 am:

Fun, my family loves competitions! Though they’re cut throat.

Your grandma’s hands are beautiful!
~ingrid
Dorothy says on August 11 2009 at 11:24 am:

My husband and I went berry picking earlier this summer, and had to quickly use up 8 1/2 pounds of blueberries, as we were moving the next week. We made a blueberry slab pie (from Martha’s Baking Handbook) to share with some friends. It was fabulous, especially because you get almost as much crust as fruit.

Enjoy your bounty!
fresh365 says on August 11 2009 at 11:33 am:

How fun! I also went blueberry picking this weekend, and like you, have the mosquito bites to prove it!
Amanda says on August 11 2009 at 12:50 pm:

Blueberry Crumb Bars…if you love slightly sweet things for breakfast, these are heaven!
Dawn in CA says on August 11 2009 at 12:55 pm:

No suggestions today, but I had to comment on the photos of your family’s hands. Just beautiful!
Dawn in CA says on August 11 2009 at 1:00 pm:

After 30 seconds of mulling it over…

Why not take some of the blueberries and make an inspired ice cream? For some reason the idea of blueberry buttermilk ice cream, or maybe blueberry mascarpone ice cream, sounds really delicious. Of course, I don’t have a recipe for either of those handy, but I bet you could cobble one together pretty easily. Yum.
Half Assed Kitchen says on August 11 2009 at 1:45 pm:

Boring, but always classic…muffins.
andie says on August 11 2009 at 2:15 pm:

blueberry pie
blueberry cobbler
blueberry balsamic vinaigrette
blueberry jam
blueberry pancakes
blueberry-orange juice popsicles
blueberry muffins
blueberry spice compote to put over pork chops?
blueberry granita

I’ll keep thinking for you. LOL
Kelly says on August 11 2009 at 4:32 pm:

Your trip sounds wonderful! How about….
blueberry pancakes
blueberry chicken salad
blueberry icecream or smoothies

Enjoy!
Caroline says on August 11 2009 at 7:09 pm:

Can’t wait to see what you make! With those wonderful berries, I feel like fresh with a dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone mixed with honey and meyer lemon zest?!
Jessica says on August 12 2009 at 5:50 am:

I’m still drooling over the Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake so that would be my pick. Since you just made it though, how about a Blueberry Tart or Blueberry Crumb Bars?
…I love the pictures of everyone’s hands.
Cookin' Canuck says on August 12 2009 at 7:33 am:

What wonderful photos! And a great family contest! I really liked the pictures of your grandparents’ hands. I have a wonderful recipe for Spiked Blueberry Crumb Bars. Here’s the link:
http://cookincanuck.blogspot.com/2009/07/spiked-blueberry-crumb-bars.html
ballerinatoes says on August 15 2009 at 5:52 pm:

I made a fabulous Berry Buckle posted by this TheKitchenSink girlie.

We really loved it. Made it a few days ago and it is gone. Had it with my coffee in the mornings, as a little snack in the afternoon and with ice cream in the evening. Since it’s just the 2 of us, it’s rare that we eat a whole cake. But the Buckle was just right. And easy! Thank you so much for sharing.
Stephanie says on August 15 2009 at 9:48 pm:

With your Scandinavian roots, you might really enjoy a Berry IceCream cake. You are so luck to have access to fresh tiny northern blueberries. Growing up in Sweden I remember them growing wild everywhere. We used to just eat them straight from the short little bush, coming home with blue lips

http://www.arla.se/Default____17653.aspx?RecipeID=22591
Sharon Mitchell says on August 16 2009 at 6:28 am:

It has to be single crust pie. This will present those precious jewels in their most unadulterated state.