Jul 15, 2013 • NorthJersey.com
Knockout blueberry (NJ's offical fruit) dessertsKnockout blueberry (NJ's offical fruit) desserts
By Andrea Park
July marks National Blueberry Month, when the button-size fruits balloon into juicy, plump sapphires sparkling on display in every produce section. Eaten alone, blueberries pack a powerful nutrient punch with antioxidants, phytoflavinoids, potassium and vitamin C. Conventional wisdom says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but blueberries lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, and are often touted as a great aid for weight loss. Many nutritionists and doctors, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, recommend starting your day with yogurt and blueberries for a protein and fiber-rich breakfast.
But these tasty gems have a special place in the hearts of New Jerseyans. The state named the blueberry its official fruit in 2004, following a campaign by a few persuasive, and probably very cute, blueberry enthusiasts from Veteran's Memorial Elementary School in Brick. It's fitting, then, that North Jersey has some knockout blueberry desserts. These dishes may not slim your waistline, but they're sure to please the palate — even a post-blueberry-transformation Violet Beauregarde would have a hard time resisting these treats.
Sweets don't always have to be served after dinner, and blueberry goodies often straddle the line between breakfast and dessert. The blueberry cheese danish from Balthazar Bakery (214 S. Dean St., Englewood; balthazarbakery.com) combines a tart, creamy, cheese filling with a sweet blueberry topping, all nestled in golden layers of heavenly, yeasty pastry with a delicately crispy veneer. The resulting pastry is an airy delight that is rich but not overly sweet.
Packanack Bakery (1488 Route 23, Wayne) rotates several blueberry items depending on the day, including reliable stand-bys, like blueberry muffins, and more unusual offerings, like blueberry pudding cake. The blueberry crullers are a specialty here, with chewy, fried dough studded with blueberry bits and coated in a vanilla glaze. The blend of aromas and flavors begs for a side of coffee.
Blueberry muffins may be a standard breakfast item, but Miller's Bakery (716 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park and 5 Washington St., Tenafly; millersbakeshop.com) goes beyond the basics with its blueberry crumb muffin. This snack cake leaks with the juice of fresh blueberries, and the moist top is gilded with buttery crumbs of German streusel. After one taste, you'll never go back to the artificially flavored, trans-fat laden pre-packaged blueberry muffin again.
Speaking of standards, the blueberry pie at Raymond's (101 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood; raymondsnj.com) is anything but. In case you wanted the recipe for this famous pie, Raymond's staffers will have you know it is a closely guarded secret, but they're more than happy to serve up an enormous slice. Make sure you bring a friend or two to share what seems to be a precarious, Jenga-like tower of blueberries squeezed into an impossibly flaky crust, topped with a dollop of fresh cream. This is one dessert that might actually get you your day's worth of antioxidants.
If the pie at Raymond's seems too intimidating, head to Styertowne Bakery (1039 Bloomfield Ave., Clifton) for the blueberry tart. The dense tart shell holds a fluffy, airy custard that serves as the perfect foil to a mound of ripe, sweet and sour blueberries. The light and fresh dessert is a great way to cool off a hot summer evening.
Of course, it wouldn't be summer without ice cream. Hold the cone, because Kilwin's (637 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff; kilwins.com) has put it in your scoop already with its blueberry waffle cone ice cream, though we won't tell if you double up on the cone. The lush ice cream abounds with blueberry flavor, swirling around crunchy pieces of sugar cone — almost like a frozen blueberry pie a la mode, but creamier.
Marc's Cheesecake (251 Rock Road, Glen Rock; marcscheesecake.com) serves up a simple blueberry cheesecake, which is basically its signature cheesecake with blueberries on the bottom. No complaints here — Marc's cheesecake is dangerously dense and boasts a smooth texture against a crunchy graham cracker crust, and the blueberries are a welcome twist to a delicious classic.
Fortunately, the blueberry is not immune to the trendy cupcake treatment, and joins the ranks of red velvet and devil's food at Bucu Burgers & Cupcakes (65 Route 4 west, Paramus; eatbucu.com). The blueberry marshmallow cupcake sounds downright decadent, but the cake and frosting make for a good balance that is not cloying. The blueberry cake is moist and springy, topped with a cloud of airy marshmallow frosting and a garnish of fresh blueberries. If the cupcake doesn't provide you with enough of a sugar rush, take it a step further and have it made into a cupcake shake with the ice cream of your choice. Add a burger and fries for the ultimate American, and New Jerseyan, experience — now that's decadent.
July marks National Blueberry Month, when the button-size fruits balloon into juicy, plump sapphires sparkling on display in every produce section. Eaten alone, blueberries pack a powerful nutrient punch with antioxidants, phytoflavinoids, potassium and vitamin C. Conventional wisdom says that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but blueberries lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, and are often touted as a great aid for weight loss. Many nutritionists and doctors, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, recommend starting your day with yogurt and blueberries for a protein and fiber-rich breakfast.
But these tasty gems have a special place in the hearts of New Jerseyans. The state named the blueberry its official fruit in 2004, following a campaign by a few persuasive, and probably very cute, blueberry enthusiasts from Veteran's Memorial Elementary School in Brick. It's fitting, then, that North Jersey has some knockout blueberry desserts. These dishes may not slim your waistline, but they're sure to please the palate — even a post-blueberry-transformation Violet Beauregarde would have a hard time resisting these treats.
Sweets don't always have to be served after dinner, and blueberry goodies often straddle the line between breakfast and dessert. The blueberry cheese danish from Balthazar Bakery (214 S. Dean St., Englewood; balthazarbakery.com) combines a tart, creamy, cheese filling with a sweet blueberry topping, all nestled in golden layers of heavenly, yeasty pastry with a delicately crispy veneer. The resulting pastry is an airy delight that is rich but not overly sweet.
Packanack Bakery (1488 Route 23, Wayne) rotates several blueberry items depending on the day, including reliable stand-bys, like blueberry muffins, and more unusual offerings, like blueberry pudding cake. The blueberry crullers are a specialty here, with chewy, fried dough studded with blueberry bits and coated in a vanilla glaze. The blend of aromas and flavors begs for a side of coffee.
Blueberry muffins may be a standard breakfast item, but Miller's Bakery (716 Anderson Ave., Cliffside Park and 5 Washington St., Tenafly; millersbakeshop.com) goes beyond the basics with its blueberry crumb muffin. This snack cake leaks with the juice of fresh blueberries, and the moist top is gilded with buttery crumbs of German streusel. After one taste, you'll never go back to the artificially flavored, trans-fat laden pre-packaged blueberry muffin again.
Speaking of standards, the blueberry pie at Raymond's (101 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood; raymondsnj.com) is anything but. In case you wanted the recipe for this famous pie, Raymond's staffers will have you know it is a closely guarded secret, but they're more than happy to serve up an enormous slice. Make sure you bring a friend or two to share what seems to be a precarious, Jenga-like tower of blueberries squeezed into an impossibly flaky crust, topped with a dollop of fresh cream. This is one dessert that might actually get you your day's worth of antioxidants.
If the pie at Raymond's seems too intimidating, head to Styertowne Bakery (1039 Bloomfield Ave., Clifton) for the blueberry tart. The dense tart shell holds a fluffy, airy custard that serves as the perfect foil to a mound of ripe, sweet and sour blueberries. The light and fresh dessert is a great way to cool off a hot summer evening.
Of course, it wouldn't be summer without ice cream. Hold the cone, because Kilwin's (637 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff; kilwins.com) has put it in your scoop already with its blueberry waffle cone ice cream, though we won't tell if you double up on the cone. The lush ice cream abounds with blueberry flavor, swirling around crunchy pieces of sugar cone — almost like a frozen blueberry pie a la mode, but creamier.
Marc's Cheesecake (251 Rock Road, Glen Rock; marcscheesecake.com) serves up a simple blueberry cheesecake, which is basically its signature cheesecake with blueberries on the bottom. No complaints here — Marc's cheesecake is dangerously dense and boasts a smooth texture against a crunchy graham cracker crust, and the blueberries are a welcome twist to a delicious classic.
Fortunately, the blueberry is not immune to the trendy cupcake treatment, and joins the ranks of red velvet and devil's food at Bucu Burgers & Cupcakes (65 Route 4 west, Paramus; eatbucu.com). The blueberry marshmallow cupcake sounds downright decadent, but the cake and frosting make for a good balance that is not cloying. The blueberry cake is moist and springy, topped with a cloud of airy marshmallow frosting and a garnish of fresh blueberries. If the cupcake doesn't provide you with enough of a sugar rush, take it a step further and have it made into a cupcake shake with the ice cream of your choice. Add a burger and fries for the ultimate American, and New Jerseyan, experience — now that's decadent.
