“I’ve tried it on, like, twenty Oompa-Loompas and each one ended up as a blueberry!” Willy Wonka

What is it about blueberries that is so alluring and charming? I just look at a pint of those lovely blue beauties and I smile. But this little berry is nothing to laugh about because it is not only filled with flavor but is a nutritional GIANT! You name it they got it. Vitamin C? Not only do they have more Vitamin C than most fruit but they also have a compound in them from the blue color called, anthocyanins, that actually enhance the performance of the Vitamin C. Blueberries are also one of the most celebrated antioxidants ever found by nutritional lab rats. Let’s see, they also help keep your heart healthy, fight off Alzheimer’s and dementia, keep your colon and digestive tract healthy, help stave off macular degeneration, protect against ovarian cancer and make you smile when you eat them. They are as healthy for you as a good belly laugh!

This is the perfect time to start foraging for these little nuggets at farmer’s markets and your local grocery store. Choose your blueberries by their vibrant color and tight skin. Shake the container and make sure the berries move freely to ensure there isn’t any mold or mildew hiding in there. Store them in the fridge until you use them, which should be just as fast as you can. Don’t wash them until you are just about to freeze them or eat them, as washing takes off their powdery bloom that protects them from mold and the outside world.

This recipe is as delicious as it is fun for your eyes. It highlights the blueberry in a delightful, savory way. It sounds like a lot of steps, but is actually quite easy. Make sure and make up your blueberry vinegar the day before. This dish is best eaten outside in the summer evening light, giggling, with perhaps a glass of wine.

Blueberry Vinegar

1 cup of fresh blueberries
¾ cup of white wine vinegar

Pour the blueberries in a sauce pan and squish them up with a potato masher. Add the vinegar to the pan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer gently for 10 minutes or so till the whole mix turns a brilliant purple. Let stand for 4 hours to marry the flavors then use it in everything you can. Strain before using. This also makes a merry gift.

Provincial Chicken

4–6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons of lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons of herbs de Provence*
2 – 4 cloves of garlic pressed
½ teaspoon of salt
3-4 cranks of fresh cracked pepper

Whip all the ingredients up in the blender till you are happy with it. Marinade the chicken in a plastic zip lock bag or bowl for about ½ hour before cooking. You can either grill or bake the chicken, depending on your preference. If you bake it, pour all the marinade in the dish with the chicken. If grilling, discard the marinade. Sprinkle a little of the herbs de Provence on the chicken breasts, when cooked, for eye candy.

Blueberry Vinaigrette

½ cup of blueberry vinegar
2 teaspoons of honey, warmed
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon of salt
Couple cranks of fresh ground pepper
¼ cup of olive oil

Add all the ingredients to a jar, and shake it up till well mixed. (Hopefully you have put the lid on before shaking it!)

Summer Blueberry Salad with Provincial Chicken

6 to 8 cup of your favorite salad greens
1 cup of fresh blueberries
A cup or so of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup of goat or sheep feta, crumbled (optional)
½ cup of finely diced red onion
4 tablespoons of toasted sliced almonds
4 Provincial chicken breasts
Blueberry vinaigrette

Separate your greens between 4 beautiful individual salad bowls. Feed your creative muse by arranging the blueberries, tomatoes, onion, almonds and feta artfully in each bowl. Slice the chicken breast up and place one on top of each bowl of salad, in a fan shape, or just plop the whole breast on there. Drizzle the blueberry vinaigrette on top and serve to your drooling family and friends. Eat and be merry!