Food historian and tea specialist Judith Krall-Russo will be presenting “Blueberries: New Jersey’s Wonder Fruit” on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Roselle Park Veterans Memorial Library.
Mrs. Krall-Russo is a regular lecturer and seminar organizer across the state who shares her lifelong love of foods, especially embracing the rich agriculture of New Jersey.
She will be discussing the history and attributes of the cultivated blueberry, which has its roots in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Information from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council reveals that in the early 20th century, Elizabeth White, horticulturist and daughter of a New Jersey farmer, went against the common thinking of the time that the blueberry, or ‘swmap huckleberry’ as it was known back then, could not be cultivated. She teamed up with USDA botanist Frederick Coville and together they harvested and sold the first commercial crop of blueberries out of Whitesbog, New Jersey in 1916. a century ago. Today, the blueberry is touted as the wonder fruit with a host of healthful benefits.
Attendees will learn more about the history, health benefits, and a variety of ways to prepare these berries.
This program is free and open to the public. It is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Roselle Park Veterans Memorial Library (RPVML) is located at 404 Chestnut Street. More information on Judith Krall-Russo can be found on her website (link).