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What is a Gooseberry?
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
The gooseberry is a small round fruit that comes in hundreds of varieties. Most plant experts suggest the earliest cultivars were from in Northern Africa, but the fruit is now grown widely throughout Northern Europe and in North America.
Gooseberries grow on a bush that stands about 3 - 5 feet (0.91 - 1.52 m) high. The bush has spines, making picking the fruit a little harsh on the hands. In North America, the gooseberry’s season extends from May to August. One finds them most frequently in June, but this depends on temperature and location. Gooseberries also seem to withstand harsher temperatures. The makes them easy to grow in areas with frosts and snow.
The fruit itself is usually comparable in size to blueberries. They can be round, oblong or teardrop shaped, depending upon their variety, and come in a delightful color range, from green to red to purple. The interior flesh of the berry will match the color of the skin, but has a slightly translucent appearance.
Most liken the unripe gooseberry in taste to a sour grape. Ripe ones are harder to find, but they are often compared to the Muscat grape in flavor. Since it is difficult to obtain riper gooseberries, the fruit is often used with sugar in dessert recipes.
The gooseberry definitely responds well to baking and sugaring, and tarts and pies are common. Similarly, gooseberries may be added to the many baked puddings in place of raisins or currants. They also can be stewed, or used in crunches or cobblers. People who can find ripe gooseberries may prefer simply eating them raw or adding them to fruit salads. They also provide interesting texture and taste in green salads.
The term "playing gooseberry" is used in an idiomatic expression unique to the British and the Canadians. This idiomatic phrase is very much like being referred to as "the third wheel," and can be used to a person who accompanies a romantically linked couple on a date, for example. It is hard to determine if the expression derives from the fact that the single person may blush from the romantic doings of the couple, thus resembling a gooseberry. Alternately, perhaps the single person is too "thorny" in nature to procure his or her own date.
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
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![Whole gooseberries.]()
Whole gooseberries. -
![Gooseberry cut in half.]()
Gooseberry cut in half. -
![Amla berries, which are one of the main ingredients in an Ayurvedic colon cleanse.]()
Amla berries, which are one of the main ingredients in an Ayurvedic colon cleanse. -
![In some recipes, currants can be replaced with gooseberries.]()
By: Christian JungIn some recipes, currants can be replaced with gooseberries. -
![Gooseberry can make for an interesting addition to a green salad.]()
By: Gennadiy PoznyakovGooseberry can make for an interesting addition to a green salad.
Discussion Comments
I live 15 minutes north of Boston and my gooseberries are beginning to ripen. It is the second week of July. My plant was given to me and has been there for three years. This is the first year we have fruit. At first the fruit is green and very hard and as it ripens it has turned soft and reddish. Green it tastes very sour, but when ripe, it tastes like a plum to me. Hope that answers some questions.
I am growing gooseberries for the first year. There are berries on all three plants. My question is when do I harvest? What's the best thing to try with them? Pie?
@anon164403: Because your plant is indoors, you need to hand pollinate your flowers in order for the fruits to grow.
i bought a gooseberry plant several years back. It has been growing quietly in the same place for about five years. It's about 4 feet tall and sprawling vines. It has never have had a berry on it at all. Lots of flowers, just never a berry or any fruit of any kind. What am i doing wrong or what is going wrong with the plant? It flowers, then the flowers just fall off and it just goes on staying green.
What is the Arabic Name for Gooseberry? and where we can find it in the Middle East area? can it be found in Jordan? Thanks.
I just purchased a gooseberry bush at my local Walmart in southern ontario. I have never seen nor tasted a gooseberry, thought I would give it a try.
When do gooseberries ripen in New England?
Answer to question three(3)
Yes, they do grow in this country. We had a very nice bush in South Jersey (Woodbine,N.J.) I would love to have another bush. We now live in Millville, N.J and I cannot find a gooseberry bush anywhere. Does anybody know where I can get a few?
Jules
Check out Las Palitas Nursery in CA for CA. natives gooseberries:
Quail and ground birds prefer the thorns on gooseberries to the thornless currant.
unripe gooseberries are hard and therefore easier to pick and ship. fresh ripe gooseberries are sweet and soft like grapes. we had red and black currents in Toronto Canada i think gooseberries would do fine.
i am sure they grow fine in new york state.
Why are ripened gooseberries so rare?
Gooseberries are also native to southwest Asia.
I love the expression "playing gooseberry." I've used it a few times to blank stares in the U.S. Wish I had the origin. Maybe something to do with being a goose?
By the way, do they grow gooseberries in this country? I also miss black currants.
Anyone have any info?
Gooseberries actually grow in threes of off a single stem hence the 3rd wheel comparison...
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