“Aronia” is one of the main crops on our, Rusutsu Farm, and in the second half of September, the harvest season is here.

In late- September, we harvest the aronia to use in many of our dishes, sweets and products in our shops, but we also have a activity which allows guests to pick and taste the aronia. This is the “Aronia Picking, Smoothie and Pizza Making ” activity. In this article, we will introduce you to this unique experience.

What’s aronia?

The “Aronia berry” is a fruit of the rosaceae family, a northern superfood fruit with a high content of functional ingredients that help to improve health.

The aronia berry is a fruit that gaining popularity. Rich in polyphenols, anthocyanidins, beta-carotene, iron and dietary fibre, it is said to have so many health benefits. This berry is said to help relieve eyestrain and improve eyesight, help maintain beautiful hair and skin. Help regulate the gut bacteria and prevent lifestyle related diseases. Promote anti-ageing and weight loss. This fruit is highly recommended for those who want to maintain good health.

Its time to harvest!

Let’s start with the harvest. Small round berries grow in clusters on the ends of branches. Because of the way they grow, they If you pick them one by one, it will take a long time, so grab a bunch, turn your fingers then pull the berries towards you.

If the juice gets on your clothes, it is hard to wash off ,so please take care. For the harvesting experience all guests will be provided with gloves and protective clothing to prevent stains.

Harvest the berries into a paper cup. Its fun and easy to pick the berries. Guests are welcome to taste a few berries but you might be surprised to find fresh aronia berries are surprisingly bitter. Despite having a high sugar content the fresh berries do not taste delicious

Here are some of the best ways to prepare aronia for you to enjoy.

Try it at home. Easy to drink aronia smoothie

The smoothie ingredients are; bananas, milk, frozen aronia and aronia in honey. Freezing the aronia and soaking in honey reduces the bitterness and makes it much more delicious. When added to the blender they make a delicious healthy smoothie.

When mixed together, the ingredients create a beautiful light purple colour. It’s refreshing and tasty. The gentle sweetness of the banana and the sharp taste of the aronia create a delicious complex flavour. Enjoy this satisfying and healthy wellness smoothie!

Dessert pizzas with the perfect level of sweetness, created from freshly made dough

Next, we have a pizza. Participants will need to roll out the prepared dough by hand. The pizza should be about 25cm in diameter.

Topped with honey-soaked aronia and cheese.

The pizza oven at the Rusutsu Farm takes is ready for the pizza. It takes about 3 minutes to bake.

It’s done! A dessert pizza with the sweet smell of honey and the savoury taste of cheese. The sweetness of the honeyed aronia, combined with the saltiness of the cheese, makes it a favourite with both children and adults. The dough is freshly prepared and baked at a high temperature, making it delicious and fragrant. It’s a real treat.

Monkfish pumpkin gratin also available

For guest who are not fans of a sweet pizza we also offer another delicious option. In addition to our Aronia pizza we also offer a pumpkin Gratin which is made using a whole pumpkin. Let’s find out how the pumpkin gratin is made.

Freshly harvested pumpkins are wrapped in aluminium foil and baked and baked in the pizza oven. It’s a strange sight to see pumpkins in a pizza oven. As this process is time-consuming, it is performed by the staff.

The pumpkins are slowly baked in the pizza oven very crispy. The first step is to hollow out the centre with a spoon. Participants are then asked to complete the gratin. The hollowed-out space is filled with potatoes, carrots and white sauce. All the vegetables are locally sourced from the Rusutsu Farm.

Finally, top with a generous amount of cheese.

It is then baked in the pizza oven. You can’t take your eyes off the cheese as it melts and browns.

After a few minutes of waiting, the pumpkin gratin is ready. The sweet, crunchy pumpkin is combined with a thick white sauce and topped with melted cheese. This is the perfect hearty dish served in a natural setting with stunning views of Mount Shiribetsu.

Harvesting your own food before preparing it is a unique and tasty activity not to be missed. There are only two days left to pick aronia and make smoothies and pizzas in the fields for 2021, on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 October.

For more information