gooseberry

These large, tart berries are in season only in June and July, but canned gooseberries work well in pies and fools. American gooseberries are round and about 1/2 inch in diameter, while European gooseberries are oblong, and about twice the size of American gooseberries. They're very acidic, and so they're great with roasted meats, like goose. The freshest gooseberries are covered with fuzz.

Ingredient

Season: available year-round

Substitutions: rhubarb (excellent in fools) OR kiwi fruit (These are much larger than gooseberries, but they're excellent in fools.) OR currants (preferably red currants)