Blueberry Betty - A Classic Dessert @ Summer WIN

There are pies and cobblers, crisps and crumbles, but at the Summer Weekend in Norfolk, you will have the chance to try a real classic dessert that dates to Colonial times, the scrumptious Blueberry Betty. Best of all, folks get to try this sweet, simple, but ever so gratifying dessert for free along with ice cream on Saturday, August 3 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the lawn of the Meadowbrook Apartments at 9 Shepard Road. 

Back in the day, in colonial New England, the most common way to cook something was in the fireplace where most food was either steamed or boiled. Considering the shortage of supplies that had to be shipped from England, colonial cooks were frugal, finding a use for everything shipped in and growing in the environment around them.  The first documented fruit desserts in New England were most often made with apples, huckleberries, blueberries, and anything that was in season. Typically, the fruit was put into a deep pot, topped with a dough mixture, sweetened with honey or maple syrup, a dash of spice was added if available, and then the pot was covered and suspended over the fire in the fireplace, and steamed until the fruit was tender and juicy.

The Apple Brown Betty and its sister dessert, the Blueberry Betty was a no-fuss dessert that used ingredients that colonial women had on hand. Unlike other stewed desserts of the time, the Betty wasn't covered in dough, rather sweetened bread crumbs were placed in layers between the brown sugared and spiced fruit making it the perfect way for these thrifty women to use stale bread. The layering of the bread gives this dessert more of a pudding-like texture than a pie, crisp, or crumble. Just like in today's family kitchens, the recipe was passed down from mother to child. Like all homespun food, there were countless variations from kitchen to kitchen and season to season.  It wasn't until 1856 that a recipe named Apple Brown Betty made its debut in Every Lady's Cookbook by Mrs. T.J. Crowen.  It was also mentioned in 1864 in the Yale Literary Magazine listing it as something to give up if you are in physical training! 

Early August is the height of Connecticut's blueberry season making this dessert extra special because the berries are so fresh. Today, blueberries are considered to be a superfood because they are bursting with nutrients, many of which are classified as antioxidants and phytochemicals. The Blueberry Betty is part of our New England heritage that is celebrated at Summer WIN, so come join the fun and try this homemade dessert. For the recipe of this one-dish wonder used at WIN click here.