[NAFEX] Black currant taste
Thomas Olenio
tolenio at sentex.net
Mon Jul 17 07:50:01 EDT 2006
Hello,
I have a number of currantsl
Red
Red Lake
Cherry
Black
Titania
Ben Lomond
Crandall
Buffalo
jostaberry (goose/currant cross)
To my taste they break into three groups
Spicy - Titantia/Ben Lomond
Non Spicy red - Red Lake/Cherry
Non Spicy black -Crandall/Buffalo/Jostaberry
Within each varietal group, I have no idea which is the superio berry.
Thanks,
Tom
On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 20:31:14 -0400, Richard Moyer <ramoyer at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Tom,
> The USDA-ARS has their currant collection at the NCGR facility in
> Corvallis,
> OR. There are dozens and dozens of black currant cultivars there. I had
> the privilege of tasting each one of these over multiple weeks in 2000,
> and
> many of them again one week last summer.
> Hence I can vouch that there's much more flavor variety in black currants
> than is commonly available from catalogs. If you can't make it to
> Corvallis
> in mid-June through July, consider visiting Ed Mashburn in central PA,
> for a
> sense of what's possible.
>
> Have you ever compared Consort, Coronet or Crusader to your Titania or
> Ben
> Lomond? The first three are markedly different than the latter two, and
> to
> a person agreed by breeders and major growers I've asked as markedly
> inferior in taste.
> Also, have you tried the American currant "Crandall"? It's a different
> species than the above and ripens much later, and is different in flavor
> yet
> again.
>
> My (dated) impression is that western European breeding for currants is
> market driven by some major processors, such as for the drink Ribena.
> Hence
> those selections that are markedly different in flavor may not be
> selected
> and released as much current breeding is privately financed with specific
> goals in mind.
>
> But there is a lot of variety in the eastern European material, and in
> the
> traditional western European cultivars, such as the older cultivars from
> England.
>
> Finally, Harry Swarz (sp?) from U. of Maryland has been doing some black
> currant breeding and selecting for berries that are more acceptable for
> fresh eating. The one I have differs quite a bit from Titania.
>
> As for descriptors of taste, black currants are extremely high in
> total phenolics, much higher than raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
> or
> gooseberries. Much of the depth of aromas and flavors in the fruit,
> fruit
> products and teas from the leaves are from these phenolics (a major
> class of
> plant chemicals).
> Major notes for me are citrus and conifer. Food chemists have
> characterized
> these fully, but I do not have that work in easy reach.
>
> Richard Moyer
> East Tenn
> 'Crandall' currants in season now.
>
> Tom wrote:
> Some may disagree, but I find the scent of black currants invigorating
> and
> healthy. Just started picking my Ben Lomond.
> I have a question... (or two)
> How is the taste of a black currant variety rated?
> I find the Titania is a bit sweeter, but lacks some of the spicyness of
> the
> Ben Lomond. Some spicyness of Ben Lomond comes through as an
> aftertaste. I
> would rate the Ben Lomond the better berry, but only by a titch.
> It is not like comparing apples where taste can be so diverse.
> Second...
> Is there a good black currant tea recipe (leaves/stems/berries) out
> there?
> So how do currant varietiess get rated (flavorwise)?
> Thanks,
> Tom
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