I put in two bushes of Red Currant (Ribes rubrum) last year that I purchased at the Greene Farmer’s Market from Saint Isadore Homestead & Permaculture. This year they both bloomed and now they have produced the most beautiful fruit. Little berries of the richest ruby red.

I put the bushes in with no plans for the fruit other than to appeal to my very fond childhood memories of summer family reunions in southeastern Pennsylvania with all my Mom’s sisters and brothers, their spouses, their children along with many other family, Grandmom and Grandpop and great aunts and great uncles, and cousins of various distances. First? Second? How many times removed? Happy memories that included seeing Red Currants looking so beautiful on their bushes, right next to where the guys played quoits.

Now that I’ve got the tiny fruit I find that they are delicious! I’ve searched for recipes and tomorrow I plan to make my very first batch of red currant muffins. Hoping they turn out well!

Oh and one tidbit of information that I just learned. Those dried currants that you find at the grocery store? They are not currants at all but small grapes which are dried to become what we know as dried currants. Who would have thought?