Houston Quilt Fest 2011-TQS Dinner

[Margo C.]

Clara, could you start a new post about your kitchen remodel? I remember seeing your back splash (before it was finished!) and now this! Please share!

[karen f.]

Well I was going to say look at all those huge smiles on happy TQSers, but now I'm very distracted by those terrific doors! Yes. More kitchen info please. Karen

[Maryjo K.]

Love the dorrs, Clara. Thanks for sharing your pictures. Now I must download mine!

[Maryjo K.]

Clara--love the door and the pictures. Great picture of me--that is not always the case.

[Maryjo K.]

Dawn--the huckleberry candy is very good. Unique flavor--I like it.

[Hannelore N.]

Soooooo, what's the difference between huckleberries and blueberries??

[Charae H.]

It's confusing to me, too. Some varieties of huckleberries are blue and are actually called "blueberries". I think it may be a regional thing. I made the mistake of calling Montana huckleberries blueberries. My sister, who lives in Kalispell, corrected me. They are proud of their tasty huckleberries. They put them in candy, syrups, jams, jellies, ice cream, etc... and they don't call them blueberries. Maybe Dawn could weigh in on this one?

[Margo C.]

Lorchen, maybe this link will help: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2523/

In many parts of the United States, blueberries are mistakenly called huckleberries. Some people believe that blueberries are always blue while huckleberries are black or very dark purple. This is erroneous thinking, however, for some blueberries are very dark colored, and some huckleberries are very blue. One sure way to tell is to examine the seeds. Blueberries have many small, tiny, soft seeds, while huckleberries have ten large, crunchy seeds.

Both huckleberries (Gaylussacia) and blueberries (Vaccinium) belong to the heath family (Ericaceae). About 50 species have been identified. The majority of them are native to South America, while seven or eight species are native to the eastern United States. While many of the western states claim to have huckleberries, what they really have are members of the closely related Vaccinium genus.

Generally speaking, leaves of the Gaylussacia species are alternate, and the undersides have yellow resin dots that can be seen with a hand lens. This resin causes the leaves to be somewhat sticky. Some species are evergreen while others are deciduous.

Flowers are white to pink and urn or bell-shaped, and appear in spring in small axillary clusters. Fruits are small, round, shiny berrylike drupes that ripen in late summer. Shrubs are multi-stemmed, slender, and arise from underground rhizomes.

[Dawn S.]

Soooooo, what's the difference between huckleberries and blueberries??

Well, lets see. Huckleberries are very small, being about 4mm or 5mm. Blueberries ar larger, measuring on average, 8mm. Although some can even get up to 12 to 14 mm. Huckleberries are very dark purple whereas blueberries are usuallya lighter bluer purple. Huckleberries are firmer. Theoretically, Huckleberries are more likely found in the Northwest USA (like Montana, where I live) and blueberries are associate with the east coast of the USA. (We saw them in Maine.) Huckleberries are VERY expensive. Now as to taste, blueberries are sweeter and can be easily eaten raw. Huckleberries are better in a pie, or a mixed fruit compote. I think that about covers it. Yes?

Dawn
In beautiful Northwaest Montana

[Charae H.]

Perfect!

[Dawn S.]

It's confusing to me, too. Some varieties of huckleberries are blue and are actually called "blueberries". I think it may be a regional thing. I made the mistake of calling Montana huckleberries blueberries. My sister, who lives in Kalispell, corrected me. They are proud of their tasty huckleberries. They put them in candy, syrups, jams, jellies, ice cream, etc... and they don't call them blueberries. Maybe Dawn could weigh in on this one?

Yup! Your sister is right! Huckleberries are in everything here! (I live just down the road from Kalispell) And, talk about touristy things? We have huckleberry lip balm, huckleberry lotions and creams, huckleberry bark (chocolate candy) syrups, jams, jellies etc. But the best touristy thing we have is Moose Droppings! (They are edible.) Oh and we have Moose Drool beer. It's really quite good, so I have been told. Gotta love living in the North! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

Well, here in NW Indiana we have lots of blueberries. Having looked at the site Margo gave us--blueberries don't look like huckleberries. The flavor is very different.

[E.M. T.]

Ritzy's got that right !! Can't imagine anybody confusing hucks and blues....hucks have a very distinctive flavor!
We have lots in Idaho !

[Annis C.]

My mother loved picking huckleberries and I'm sure she made a lot of huckleberry jam over the years. She lived in Idaho most of her life. We took her some store bought huckleberries when we visited a couple of years ago and I remember it being quite expensive.

[Annis C.]

So can anyone explain the line
"I'll be your huckleberry" that is said by Doc Holiday in one of the recent(ish) movies
(sorry I cannot remember which movie, actually I cannot even remember his friend the Sheriff's name either - total 'senior moment' going on here :roll: The rest of the info. will probably call back later :wink: )