When I was a kid, I didn't know how lucky I was. Every Saturday, my Mom and I would head west to my Grandfather's dairy farm tucked into the hills of the Berkshires in Massachusetts. I loved it and those childhood memories are some of my favorites.

My grandfather was an ambitious cook and when we arrived at the farm, Gramp was either kneading dough for homemade bread, smoking sausages, curing bacon, working in his vegetable garden, picking apples and pears or milking the cows.

During the summer, I always looked forward to picking wild berries with my Mom and Gramp. We'd grab baskets and off we'd go up the "lane" as my grandfather called it. A beautiful walk up a stonewall-lined path led us to a cluster of blueberry bushes no taller than me. These berries were the size of peas, which made this a true labor of love. It was well worth it as these berries were the sweetest, most flavorful berries I had ever had in my life. Thus began my love affair with blueberries.

Enjoy some of my favorite blueberry creations:

• Rose Sangria with Blueberries and Nectarines
• Fig and Blueberry Salad with Crème Fraiche, Mint and Prosciutto
• Scandinavian Blueberry Bisque
• Quinoa Pilaf with Dried Blueberries
• Blueberry Tortilla Crepes
• Blueberry Brown Butter Tart with Heilala Vanilla

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