The soft plunk of each blueberry hitting the bottom of the bucket rings in my ears: the sweet song of summer. Every other berry makes its way into my mouth, bursting with a satisfying pop while releasing a rush of the perfect balance of sweet and tart juices. It’s something to savor.

Over 200 years ago, indigenous peoples such as the Potawatomi and other Great Lakes tribes were gathering wild lowbush blueberries from the region’s sandy pine barrens and open fields. These wild berries were a vital source of nutrition and healing: eaten fresh, dried for winter or mixed into pemmican (a shelf-stable mixture of dried meat and rendered fat) for long journeys. Today, those same well-drained and acidic soils make this area one of the best places to grow blueberries. Farms like Blueberry Ranch in Mishawaka, Indiana, continue the tradition, inviting families to pick plump, organic highbush berries each summer.

Blueberries add a sweet-tart flavor and their deep indigo hue to everything from breakfast pancakes and muffins to fresh salads, jams, syrups and tangy sauces. Their natural balance of sweetness and acidity makes them just as perfect for pairing with savory, herbaceous dishes as they are for folding into cakes and cobblers. They carry the bright taste of summer into every dish they touch.

Selecting:

Choose blueberries that are firm, plump and have a dusty blue-gray coating on them. That soft, powdery coating is called a “bloom,” protecting the berry from bacteria and insects while retaining moisture. The berries are past their prime once the bloom fades, and the berries begin to shrivel or leak juices. If you’re picking your own, the ripest berries will fall into your hand with the gentlest tug.

Storing:

Keep blueberries dry and refrigerate them unwashed in a breathable container or shallow dish lined with paper towels; this will help prevent mold and extend their shelf life. Give them a quick rinse and remove any stems or debris before eating or cooking them. Blueberries will last in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 days. To freeze, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, and transfer to a freezer bag. Frozen blueberries can be kept for 10 to 12 months, often longer if stored in airtight, freezer-safe bags or containers.

Pairing:

Apples, arugula, basil, beef, beets, butter, cabbage, carrots, cheese, chicken, chocolate, cilantro, cinnamon, corn, cream, dill, fennel, fish, garlic, gin, ginger, grapes, honey, kale, lemons, lettuce, limes, maple, milk, mint, mustard, nutmeg, nuts, onions, oranges, parsley, pears, peppers, pork, rosemary, sesame, spinach, squash, thyme, tomatoes, turkey, vanilla, vinegar, wheat, yogurt.

Ashley Swartzendruber is Edible Michiana’s recipe editor, stylist and photographer based in Goshen, Indiana. She can be found cooking, eating and photographing local food in her home or exploring Michiana with her family. You can find more of her photos, styling and motherhood musings on her Instagram @mywildhaven.