Currant, Red

With the current (unavoidable) interest in “specialty produce” in America and the wealth of adventurous chefs and home cooks, a currant revival seems like a natural. The tiny scarlet berry, its taut, translucent skin as shiny as blown glass, has an acid punch that belies its fragile appearance. As a garnish, casually in tune with the Oriental and California-type restaurant presentations, it can’t be beat for a simple and immediate burst of flavor and color.

The beauty of the red currant has inspired painters since the Dutch and Flemish masters, but comparatively few cuisines have adopted it. Although it grows wild in almost all temperate and subarctic regions, only in Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia is it more or less commonplace. In America both jelly and wine made from the berries used to be found in every good cook’s pantry but have fallen out of use in recent years.