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The Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is a species of currant native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia. It is a small shrub growing to 1-2 m tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, 4-9 cm long and broad, and palmately lobed with five lobes, with a serrated margin. The flowers are 4-6 mm diameter, with five reddish-green to brownish petals; they are produced in racemes 5-10 cm long. The fruit is an edible berry 1 cm diameter, very dark purple in colour, almost black, with a glossy skin and a persistent calyx at the apex, and containing several seeds. Plants from Asia are sometimes distinguished as a separate variety Ribes nigrum var. sibiricum, or even as a distinct species Ribes cyathiforme.
Cultivation and uses The fruit have a high natural vitamin C content. Like the other true currants (not to be confused with the Zante currant, a type of grape which is often dried), it is classified in the genus Ribes. In addition to the high levels of vitamin C, studies have also shown concentrated blackcurrant to be an effective Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (Bormann, et al. 1993.) Fifty grams of 5.5X concentrate was found to inhibit 92% of the Monoamine oxidase enzymes. Blackcurrant seed oil is a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a very rare essential fatty acid. When not in fruit, the plant looks very similar to the redcurrant shrub; they may be distinguished by the strong odor the leaves and stems of the blackcurrant (sometimes compared to cat's urine ). In Russia it is common to infuse slightly sweetened vodka with blackcurrant leaves, making a deep yellowish-green beverage with a sharp flavor and an astringent taste . Blackcurrant berries can also be used to flavor vodka. In the UK blackcurrant juice is often mixed with Strongbow Cider to make a drink called Cider Black. It can be ordered in most pubs. Blackcurrants have a very sweet and sharp taste. They are made into jelly, jam, juice, ice cream, cordial and liqueur. In the UK, Europe and Commonwealth countries, some types of confectionery include a blackcurrant flavor, but this is generally missing in the United States, even within the same brand. Instead grape flavor in candy (including grape jelly) almost mirrors the use of blackcurrant in both its ubiquity in the USA, and its rarity on the eastern side of the Atlantic. History During World War II most fruits rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, became almost impossible to obtain in the United Kingdom. Since blackcurrant berries are a rich source of vitamin C and blackcurrant plants are suitable for growing in the UK climate, blackcurrant cultivation was encouraged by the British government. Soon, the yield of the nation's crop increased significantly. From 1942 on almost the entire British blackcurrant crop was made into blackcurrant syrup (or cordial) and distributed to the nation's children free, giving rise to the lasting popularity of blackcurrant flavorings in Britain. Blackcurrants were once popular in the United States as well, but they became extremely rare in the 20th Century after currant farming was banned in the early 1900s. The ban was enacted when it was discovered that blackcurrants helped to spread the tree disease White Pine Blister Rust, which threatened the then-booming U.S. lumber industry . The federal ban on growing currants was lifted in 1966 and currant growing is making a comeback in several states including Vermont, New York, Connecticut and Oregon. However, several statewide bans still exist including Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.. Since the federal ban ceased currant production anywhere in the U.S., the fruit is no longer well-known and has yet to reach the popularity that it had in the U.S. in the 19th Century or that it currently has in Europe and the UK. In its latest U.S. incarnation, blackcurrant juice is being marketed as a powerful health-food beverage, since it is a strong source of antioxidants and vitamins (much like pomegranate juice). Dried cranberries are marketed as currants in the US by Ocean Spray. Blackcurrant cordials In UK bars, blackcurrant cordials are referred to simply as "black", as in "vodka and black", "snakebite and black", "Pernod and black", or "black and lemonade". In North America, blackcurrant cordial is more commonly known as crème de cassis whilst in Britain and France crème de cassis is an alcoholic blackcurrant liqueur, used for making the popular apéritif Kir; the city of Dijon in France is particularly well-known for this liqueur. In the Netherlands, cassis is a popular, red-coloured, soft drink with a blackcurrant flavour. In Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, a blackcurrant cordial under the brand name of Ribena (from the genus name) is principally marketed as a 'healthy' (if extremely sweet) drink for children. It was reported in the Daily Telegraph that around 95 per cent of the British crop is bought by GlaxoSmithKline to produce Ribena. Cooking Other than being juiced and used in jellies, syrups, and cordials, blackcurrants are often avoided in cooking because of the amount of time required to prepare them, as each one must be "topped and tailed" (the stalk and flower-remnants removed) before cooking. Traditionally this is done individually with a knife. Alternatively, the blackcurrants can be frozen, then shaken vigorously. The tops and tails are broken off and can be separated easily from the fruit. Notes French scientists claim cassis, like grapes, is rich in resveratrol. Ref: F.-A. Allaert, Angéiologie, 2005, Vol. 57, no. 4, page 3. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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