Hi Reader,

Did you guess it? July's Produce of the Month is berries. Get ready for summer's best parade - haskaps followed by strawberries, saskatoons, raspberries, and blueberries. Not to mention gooseberries, currants, chokecherries, blackberries, and other regional berries like cloudberries.

This month we're celebrating every single one. How to select them, store them, freeze them, cook with them, and make the most of them before the season moves on.

Welcome to Berry Month.

A few berry favourites to get you started

​Love Your Berries — and Make Them Last - store them well.

​How to Freeze Fruit for the Best, Long-Lasting Results

​What are Haskaps? - get to know this newcomer to the berry scene.

​Jam Making Basics - the beginner's guide.

​Chia Seed Jam - no pectin, no hot water bath, no fuss. A small-batch preserve you can make in minutes and keep in the fridge.

​Fruit Scrap Vinegar - make something useful from berry scraps.

​All About Saskatoons - also called service berries in some parts.

​Saskatoon Berry Salad — if you've never cooked with saskatoons beyond a pie, this is the recipe to try first.

​Berry Lemon Muffins — works with any berry, fresh or frozen. A summer staple.

Join the July Seasonal Cooking Challenge

Win $200 and a copy of the Summer Salad Book. If you're Canadian, tell me what you're making with berries this month and you can enter!

​Find out how to enter ​

What berries are showing up in your garden or market right now? Hit reply — I'd love to know what you're working with.

Talk soon,
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