exotic European fruit

There is a springtime fruit that almost every European knows but few Americans know, which is surprising since the climates are so similar.

The fruit is a currant.










It has a refreshing tartness, and it probably is the first fruit to ripen in most of Europe after the spring thaw. It is native to Europe and grows wild in all kinds of environments, including alongside train tracks.



I was lucky enough to be in Paris the other day where I bought some at a street market. It was I think the only locally grown fresh fruit on offer. Everything else came from the tropics or the southern hemisphere.

So it set me wondering why it is so rare in the U.S. I was surprised to read in Wikipedia that currants were once popular in the U.S., but currant farming was banned about 100 years ago when it was discovered that the bushes were a host of white pine blister rust, which damages north American pine forests. So there aren’t any domestic currants. And I guess they just aren’t good enough to be a common import. I have occasionally seen them at expense grocery stores, but not often.

So if you’re in Europe this time of year, enjoy an exotic fruit!