Gooseberries are not exactly at the top of most people's grocery list, for two reasons. One, they are rarely available in stores, farmers' markets, websites, or roadside stands. Two, many people have never tasted them.

Mom planted gooseberry bushes decades ago and yearly, during my childhood, she would bake a gooseberry pie which we all enjoyed, and of course it was probably completely smothered in white sugar! How did we ever taste the gooseberries?

The wild varieties of gooseberries often produce smaller yet equally tasty berries, and that is what I harvested this year. Mom was always careful to select only the green and shiny berries, as she did not want them after they turned a deep purplish brown. I have tasted both and feel that shortly after they turn darker in color, they are still good, but probably have a short half-life after that. They can be used in baking pies, added to cereals, mixed into a smoothie, or just eaten out of hand, green or purplish brown.

The gooseberries around here in Missouri's Ozarks are nearing the end of their season, and about two weeks ago when they were beginning to form, so were the mulberries. A few days later when I went to photograph both, I discovered the birds had eaten every last mulberry on the tree I had planned to photograph. So we'll have to settle for just the gooseberries this year.
Enjoy.