_{Ann Vickers, Auberge le Vieux Presbytère Inn, Bouctouche, NB
Local ingredients at the Bouctouche Farmers’ Market: blueberries from Wild Blueberry Meadows (Kouchibouguac) and cheese from La Fromagerie Aux Quatre Vents (Ste-Marie-de-Kent)}

Ingredients

3 Cinnamon sticks (3 inches each)
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 quarts fresh blueberries, washed and cleaned
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Preparation

Place the cinnamon sticks and cloves in a square of cheesecloth (8 inch). Tie up the bundle with twine. Put spice sachet and allspice in vinegar in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cook for 5 minutes. Stir blueberries into vinegar; cook until heated through, gently shaking pot (about 5 minutes). Do not stir to avoid breaking blueberries. Remove from heat, cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.

Pour berries and liquid into a colander set over a bowl. Remove spice sachet. Transfer berries to hot sterilized canning jars if planning to store for a long period of time. Otherwise, using clean jars will do. Reserve liquid. Return liquid to saucepan and place over high heat. Stir in the white and brown sugars, bring to a boil. Boil until thickened, about 4 minutes.

Ladle syrup over berries, leaving about 1cm headspace. Wipe the rims with moist paper towel. For short term storage, keep in refrigerator.

For long term storage, top with sterilized lids and screw on rings. Place a rack in the bottom of stockpot and fill halfway with water, bring to a boil over high heat and lower jars carefully into pot. Leave 5 cm between jars. Water should be 2.5 cm over tops of jars. Bring water to full boil and cover the pot. Boil for 15 minutes.

Good with cheese!!