North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>]

Fresh black currants contain around 200 mg/100g of vitamin C, they have 
a high phytonutrient content and their mineral content is much higher 
than most fruits, comparable to vegetables. Black currant seed oil has 
desirable properties comparable to evening primrose oil and the seeds 
are small, soft and usually left in the jam.

When preserved in juices and jam etc. the vitamin C content goes down to 
about 40 mg/100 g, and that is with care not to heat and stir (air 
exposure) too much. It is also undesirable to use iron utensils in the 
process, though I believe that stainless steel is OK.

Most people like the flavour of cooked black currant products. Ribena
and a cheaper Polish brand, as well as black currant jam are sold in 
most supermarkets here, though I notice not so much in Quebec. I use 
Ribena every day, mixing it with other juices.

The British like to mix black currants in apple pies and tarts (e.g. 
Crosse and Blackwell tarts, which I also like). Our supermarkets used to 
sell a black currant "crostata" a thin pie of black currants with open 
mesh pastry on top; very good.

Doiug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada



On 27/01/2011 2:12 PM, Kieran &/or Donna wrote:
> Black Currant juice is extremely popular for children, it's considered a
> healthful drink. (For adults, there are alcoholic black currant
> products.) Ribena was the best known brand name when I lived in England
> 30 years ago, concentrated black currant juice. The vitamin C content is
> higher than oranges, and of course currants are much more easily grown
> in the cool climate of so much of Europe. People tend not to realize
> just how far north Europe is compared to here. Paris is north of Quebec.
> Our latitude in Tenn, 36N, is even with the southern tip of Spain, where
> they grow oranges. Though most of Europe is warmer than most of the US
> in winter, they mostly don't get the blast of heat we do in summer, and
> certainly not the accumulated heat units needed to grow so many fruits
> that we grow here. Donna