Uva-spina Mucurines

The Gooseberry, in Latin Ribes grossularia var. uva-crispa, also known as Prickly Gooseberry, Gooseberry, Gooseberry, Claque-poux, Croque-poux, Ballon, or Vinétier, belongs to the Grossulariaceae family, like Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum) and Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum). The name Gooseberry comes from the English who have been using this gooseberry for a long time to make a sweet and sour sauce to accompany mackerel. Cultivated in northern Europe since the 16th century, the Gooseberry is a fertile hybrid resulting from the crossbreeding of two species native to Europe and North Africa, still found in mountain forests in Scotland, France, and the Caucasus.

The Ribes uva-crispa 'Mucurines', originating from Russia, is a robust, hardy, and vigorous variety, with excellent adaptation to cold and harsh winters. It forms a bushy shrub, fairly prickly, with a tufted port of somewhat stiff, branched, and spreading twigs. This very hardy bush will reach a height of 1 m with a spread of 80 cm. The foliage is deciduous, composed of palmate, lobed, and aromatic, medium green leaves. This bush resembles classic gooseberries but differs mainly in the fruits: larger, with a sweet flavour, they appear singularly along the twigs unlike redcurrants. Flowering occurs in spring, in clusters of small greenish, rather inconspicuous flowers, but intensely visited by bees. Fruiting occurs more on one- and two-year-old twigs. Harvesting starts around early July and extends throughout the month. The bush then becomes covered with berries, round to oval, with slightly hairy skin, 1.3 cm in diameter, distributed along the twigs. When ripe, the gooseberries turn a greenish-yellow colour, and are filled with a translucent, juicy, fruity, sweet, and tangy pulp, containing tiny seeds.

The Mucurines Gooseberry is self-fertile, so it does not need a companion to fruit, but the presence of another variety nearby will increase production. Harvesting is done as the fruits ripen. It is simplified due to the size of the grains. A gooseberry bush produces about 3 to 4 kg of fruit per plant depending on the age and growing conditions of the plant. The fruits are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements as well as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Furthermore, their low sugar content ranks them among the least energetic small fruits (50 kcal per 100 g). The fruit is purifying for the body thanks to its diuretic, digestive, liver decongestant, and laxative properties, provided it is consumed barely ripe. Picked from the bush, they are exquisite to enjoy fresh, and for added indulgence, they can be sprinkled with a little crystallised sugar. In cooking, to reduce the acidity of the fruits, they can be blanched for a minute and then refreshed under cold water. Excellent in jellies or jams, they can also be used to garnish pies and make cakes. They will be perfect for making syrups, sorbets, ice creams or desserts. The subtle balance between the fruit's aromas and acidity offers an interesting use to accompany meats (game, poultry, ...), oily fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna, ...), or as a finishing touch in mixed salads.

In summer, the Mucurines Gooseberry offers moments of gustatory pleasure with its succulent fruits. Harvesting is easy as the berries are large and the plant has almost no thorns. A great delight for the taste buds and satisfaction for the picker. You can associate it with Blackcurrants, Raspberries, Blueberries, May Berries or other small fruit varieties to create a gourmet hedge, which it will enhance with its multiple culinary benefits. As with any planting, it is important, in a gooseberry plantation, to alternate species and varieties where possible. This limits the risk of diseases and promotes pollination, even if the variety is self-fertile. It can be grown in a pot, however, you should choose a container at least 40 cm high and ensure regular watering with non-calcareous water.