Page 87 - NT 2022 Almanac

Gooseberries are funny little hard, hairy green fruit that don’t look
very attractive, and they grow on very spiky bushes, so you have to be careful and wear gardening gloves if you want to pick any yourself. They are ripe late in June and go on being edible into early July, depending where you are in the country. You can, of course, also find them in the shops around this time – without the spikes!
There are a few myths and sayings surrounding the poor old gooseberry. “Don’t be a gooseberry,” means, “Don’t be left out – join in the fun!” This may be because of the green and spiky appearance of the fruit, which makes us think of someone who isn’t friendly. Gooseberries used also to be known as fayberries because of the ancient belief that fairies used to hide in gooseberry bushes if they were frightened.
They may not look very nice raw, but gooseberries are delicious when stewed with sugar or used in cakes, jams and tarts. They are also a good source of vitamin C.
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