Happy Blackcurrant Day! 10 facts about blackcurrants:
The scientific name for the blackcurrant is Ribes nigrum.
Around 95% of the blackcurrants grown in the UK are used to make the popular soft drink Ribena. The name Ribena is derived from Ribes nigrum. In recent years, scientists at Leeds University have been looking at ways to make sustainable and non-toxic hair dyes from the skins of the fruit which are thrown away by the Ribena factory.
Ribena was first produced in 1938. It was given to children during the second world war for its high Vitamin C content. People were encouraged to grow the fruit at home for the same reason, and because citrus fruits were impossible to get at the time.
That said, blackcurrants actually contain more vitamin C than Oranges weight for weight, about three times as much, in fact. They are also a good source of antioxidants and anthocyanins. Studies have shown that blackcurrants can help strengthen the immune system, boost cognitive function, help reduce gut inflammation, improve vascular health and even help fight cancer.
The berries grow on deciduous, woody shrubs which can reach 1.5 to 2 meters in height. The berries are small, less than a centimetre in diameter and they form in loose clusters.
The Ribes genus has over a hundred species including red and white currants as well as blackcurrants.
There are many varieties of British blackcurrant. Many of them are named after Scottish mountains, eg. ‘Ben Gairn’, ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Ben Connan’. The UK’s most popular garden variety is ‘Ben Hope’.
Blackcurrants were banned in the US in the early 20th century because they were believed to spread a fungus that killed white pine trees, threatening the US timber industry. Now, the ban has been lifted in many states but not all. You won’t find blackcurrants in New Hampshire and Ohio.
The fruit's high content of pectin and acid make it good for making jams and jellies. They are sometimes used in savoury dishes, too. They can be added to Tomato and Mint to make salads or used as an accompaniment to roast beef, grilled lamb, duck, seafood and shellfish.
In folklore, it’s said that blackcurrants protect the soul and home against negative energy. Powdered blackcurrants sprinkled at the front door was a way to keep negative energy out. Carrying the berries on long journeys would help protect travellers. Blackcurrants were given to seekers on spiritual quests and were thought to bring healing (probably all that vitamin C!). The blackcurrant liqueur, cassis, was initially created by French monks as a cure for depression and snakebites.
Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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