Only occasionally do artisanally-minded urban dwellers get to forage for our meals—which is why, upon hearing about the limited-edition serviceberries cropping up in Brooklyn Bridge Park, we rushed over to pluck some ourselves.
The fruit, which tastes like something of a cross between blueberries and raspberries, is just barely sweet, with a pleasant, almost almond-y seed. Park Horticulturalist Rebecca McMackin said they'll only be around for another two weeks, so pick now, locavores! The trees were originally planted to feed local birds, but they seem to be leaving plenty of bounty for non-winged creatures. Our neighbors to the north call them "saskatoon berries" (how very Canadian) and put them in all sorts of pastries and pies, like this one:
4 cups fresh serviceberries
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 prepackaged pie crusts
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In a large saucepan, simmer berries in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice with berries. Combine sugar and flour together in a medium bowl, then stir into berry mixture.
Pour mixture into a pastry lined 9 inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Place second crust on top of pie; seal and flute edges.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
