This is the quintessial Canadian Maritime Dessert.Have you heard of it….Blueberry Grunt?
It is a type of dumpling dessert that has long been popular in Nova Scotia…where I come from.
It’s strange name, “grunt, ” is said to have come from the noises made by the fruit as it softly stewed in a pot on the wood stove or fire. It’s definitely an ‘old time’ dish made in just about every household in Nova Scotia at one time or another. In many homes, grunts were often not considered to be desserts, but were served as an easy main course, where a busy rural housewife had spent the day canning or ‘putting up’ and could make this dinner for her family with little effort after a busy day. Personally, I think 18th century ‘fast food’ of grunts or stewed fruit & dumpling are far more better for you than today’s fast food.
I make this in the later summer, fall & winter for my family as a dessert. It’s great served with whipped cream, as shown here, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Blueberry Grunt
Ingredients
1 quart blueberries
1/2 cup sugar {or more, depending on how sweet you like it}
1/2 cup water
Feel free to add a little cinnamon, nutmeg or lemon zest if you like!
Put berries, sugar and water in a pot, cover and boil gently until there is plenty of juice. {Add 1/4 cup flour if you like a thicker blueberry sauce.}
Dumplings:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon shortening
1/4 cup-1/2 cup milk
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening and add enough milk to make a soft biscuit dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto hot blueberries in pot. Cover closely and do not peek for 15 minutes. No peeking allowed! Serve hot. Store any leftovers in fridge. Reheat to serve again.
My kids love this dessert….especially on a cold winter’s night. I love it because it reminds me of home!
It can easily be made with fresh or frozen blueberries, or strawberries, rhubarb, apples, raspberries, or any combination.
Whew! Can you believe August is almost coming to an end? I am so torn between ripping apart closets that badly need to be re-organized or crafting some items for Fall. Decisions!
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Oh my word, I haven't heard of grunt in a long time! I'm from Newfoundland, so this was popular there too! We often had bakeapple grunt or rhubarb and strawberry 🙂
This looks really good, Angie! I may head up to the attic sometime this weekend or next week to get my Fall stuff down. Tomorrow is supposed to be 94 here so it kind of puts a damper on Fall thoughts!
That looks super good! yeah, I could tear that up for supper, too! My oven is cranking out an apple pie as we speak – guess we are on the same page. Fruit desserts are sooo good!
I have not heard of Blueberry Grunt before but it sounds wonderful. We have a bag full of frozen blueberries left over from our berry picking trip this summer.
Have a great afternoon!
This sounds so delicious, Angie. I think the "Grunt" would come for me after I consumed it!
I ave never heard of grunt but this sure sounds good!!!!
Wow, sounds so good~ I am pinning so I can remember to make later!
~Jamie
Funny, with all the desserts my grandmother made, I don't remember her making this one. Of course, I didn't get to Nova Scotia that often. I will have to ask my mom about it (and make your recipe in the meantime).
I'm going to have to give this a try. I love how you styled your photo with the Nova Scotia tartan. I just got back from Halifax last night and loved it down there. I keep asking myself why we don't live there.