[2] Three colors of asparagus (photo © Australian Asparagus Growers).

Asparagus is our favorite harbinger of spring, along with big artichokes, fava beans, green garlic, morels, nettles, ramps and spring peas (a.k.a. English or garden peas).

Once upon a time—in your mother’s, grandmother’s or great-gran’s generation, depending on your age—people who preferred fresh produce had to get their fill during the growing season. Some growing seasons were quite brief.

Imported produce had yet to emerge in the off season, to meet the demands of people who wanted asparagus—or peaches or any other fruit or vegetable—year-round. When asparagus or peaches were out of season, you could buy them canned or frozen.

Now asparagus is available year-round, imported from the Southern Hemisphere during the Northern Hemisphere’s off season. That means carbon miles, plus waning freshness as the they travel a long distance.

In the U.S., spring is the best season for fresh, affordable asparagus. April through late June is prime asparagus season, so get your fill while you can.

In the olden days, spring asparagus were served as a side or a first course: buttered spears with a wedge of lemon and/or lemon mayonnaise. They were pickled and served with cocktails, turned into soup and, for people of Italian heritage, added to pasta and risotto.

While most of the asparagus grown are green (some with green tips, some with purple tips), you can find purple and white in specialty produce stores and farmers markets.

Here are the differences among green, purple and white asparagus varieties. We’ve even seen pale pink asparagus, possibly a mutation of the purple.

Asparagus blends well with most dishes.

The asparagus plant, Asparagus officinalis, is a member of the lily family, Asparagaceae, which also includes agave, and flowering plants such as lily of the valley and star of Bethlehem. There are more than 300 species of asparagus, most of which are grown as ornamental plants.

Asparagus originated in the eastern Mediterranean region, but today is grown worldwide. It was first cultivated more than 2,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans prized asparagus for its unique flavor, texture and alleged medicinal qualities.

The vegetable gained popularity in France and England in the 16th Century; King Louis XIV of France enjoyed this delicacy so much that he had special greenhouses built to supply it year-round. Early colonists brought it to America.

Asparagus is a perennial plant raised in furrowed fields. It takes about three years before the plants produce asparagus. The delicate plant needs a temperate climate and requires much hand labor in all phases of cultivation. The spears are cut by hand—backbreaking work—when they reach about 9 inches in length.
 
Nutrition

Asparagus is nutritious: a good source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and zinc; and a very good source of copper, dietary fiber, folate, iron, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein, riboflavin, selenium, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and vitamin K, plus the antioxidant flavonoid rutin.

It has no fat or cholesterol and is very low in sodium. Asparagus is very low in calories (27 per cup) and contains no fat or cholesterol.

There are three varieties of asparagus—green, purple and white.

[3] Asparagus and scrambled eggs for breakfast (photo © California Avocado Commission).

[4] A first course or light lunch of asparagus, prosciutto, burrata and crostini at Barbuto Restaurant in New York City (photo © Barbuto).

[1] The first contest winner, “Bewitching Blackberry,” marries bacon, blackberries, baby arugula, spinach, and two cheeses. The recipe is below (photo © The Nibble).

[2] Here’s a simplified version: just Gruyère and blackberries (photo © The Nibble).

[3] When you don’t have fresh blackberries, substitute blackberry jam or preserves (photo © The Nibble).

[4] A version with blueberries instead of blackberries. Here’s the recipe (photo © Taste Of Home).

[5] Second place in the Grilled Cheese Showdown went to this Grilled Cheese Benedict, with Canadian bacon, poached egg, spinach and Gouda on an English muffin. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Nibble).

[6] Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese from QVC’s Chef David Venable. Here’s the recipe (photo © QVC).

[7] Called the Lisa Marie, this creation took Elvis’ favorite fried peanut butter, bacon, and banana sandwich and added mild and creamy butterkäse cheese and hot fudge. Did they consult Lisa Marie on this? Here’s the recipe (photo © The Nibble)

Updated September 2026

April is National Grilled Cheese Month, with National Grilled Cheese Day celebrated on April 12th. There’s also National Blackberry Day, on September 12th.

Put them together and you have today’s featured recipe, grilled cheese with blackberries.

The recipe was the first-prize winner in a Grilled Cheese Academy competition.

If you’re hankering for grilled cheese but not this particular recipe, use the occasion to try some other luscious options beyond the everyday favorites. We rounded up some of our favorites below.

Below:

> The Grilled Cheese Academy (R.I.P.).

> The first-prize recipe: Bewitching Blackberry grilled cheese.

> The top 10 grilled cheese toppings.

> More grilled cheese recipes.

> The history of blackberries.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> Tips for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

> The year’s 27+ sandwich holidays.

> The year’s 30 cheese holidays.

> The year’s 35+ berry holidays.

> The history of the grilled cheese sandwich.

> The history of the sandwich.

> The different types of sandwiches: a photo glossary.

> Trompe-l’oeil grilled cheese: It looks like grilled cheese, but it’s grilled pound cake and Cheddar-colored frosting!
 
 
1. THE GRILLED CHEESE ACADEMY

We were sad to hear that the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin had discontinued its Grilled Cheese Academy microsite. There’s nothing like looking at photo after photo of luscious, creative grilled cheese recipes.

From 2010 through 2018, it was a treasure trove for lovers of grilled cheese. The recipes are now on its main website, WisconsinCheese.com.

We so looked forward to their annual Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown. The top prize was $15,000, which could keep the fridge full of top cheeses, breads, and toppings for quite some time.
 
 
2. RECIPE: BEWITCHING BLACKBERRY GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

In the first Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown, this beauty (photo #1), named “Bewitching,” took the top prize. It was created by Ally Phillips of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Ally’s bewitching concoction layers fresh blackberries, peppery greens, crispy fried bacon, and molten Wisconsin Gouda and Provolone.

Ingredients For 2 Sandwiches

• 1/2 cup baby arugula
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• 4 slices good-quality white bread
• 4 to 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• Cooking spray to coat skillet
• 20 to 24 fresh blackberries, divided
• 2 slices Provolone cheese, cut to fit bread
• 2 slices Gouda cheese, cut to fit bread
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and drained

 
Preparation

1. MIX the arugula and spinach in a small bowl; set aside. Trim the crusts from 3 sides of the bread slices, leaving the curved top crust attached. Butter the bread slices on one side.

2. COAT the skillet (preferably cast iron) heavily with cooking spray and then heat it. Place 2 slices of bread, buttered-side down, in the skillet; there should be a slight sizzle. Place 5 to 6 blackberries in the center of each bread slice.

3. TOP the berries with a slice of Provolone. Add another handful of berries and top with Gouda for the second layer. Place 3 strips of bacon on each sandwich and place a bread slice on top, buttered-side up.

4. MELD and compact the sandwich, using a spatula to press firmly. Grill 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is browned; flip and grill another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melting.

5. REMOVE the sandwiches to plates. Carefully pull back the top slices and spread the arugula and spinach mixture on top of the bacon. Replace the top, pressing down, and then flip the sandwich so the greens are on the bottom.
 
 
3. AMERICA’S FAVORITE GRILLED CHEESE TOPPINGS

There’s no official ranking, but for a mix of popularity, flavor, and broad appeal, America’s favorites are:

• Plain: no topping, just bread, butter, and cheese
• Tomato: fresh slices or roasted tomato
• Bacon: alone or with sliced tomato
• Caramelized onions
• Roasted vegetables: bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, zucchini
• Ham: a grilled ham and cheese
• Pickles or relish
• Jalapeños or other hot chile peppers
• Avocado
• Apple or pear: especially with sharp Cheddar

 
Vegetable Toppings Tips

• Roasted: Usually the best method. It concentrates the flavor, delivers a slightly caramelized edge, and removes excess moisture, helping to prevent a soggy sandwich.
• Sautéed: Faster and excellent for mushrooms, onions, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until tender and fairly dry.
• Grilled: Works well for larger slices of zucchini, eggplant, peppers, or onions and adds smoky char.
• Fried: Usually unnecessary, unless you mean lightly pan-fried vegetables. Deep-frying can make the sandwich greasy and overwhelm the cheese.

 
Food 101

The terms pan-fried and sautéed are often used interchangeably, but there’s a difference in the amount of oil, food size, and cooking method.

• Sautéed: Small pieces of food are cooked quickly over medium-high to high heat in a relatively small amount of oil or butter. They’re stirred, tossed, or turned frequently until softened and done.
• Pan-fried: Food is generally cooked in more oil over moderate heat, often in larger pieces, with less frequent movement. The goal is usually a browned or crisp exterior.

 
 

[8] America’s favorite grilled cheese topping is tomato, how about multicolored cherry tomatoes? You can marinate them in vinaigrette first, and add whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. We added a basil chiffonade, essentially creating a “grilled cheese Caprese” (photo © The Nibble).

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is among the favorite American comfort meals. Add some creativity to the comfort with these recipes.

Which one do you want to make first?

Meat, Poultry & Seafood

• Bacon & Blue Cheese, Ham & Brie With Caramelized Onions On Onion Artisan Bread
• The B & B: Beer Battered Bacon With Cheddar & Provolone On Rustic White Bread
• The Benedict: Gouda & Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Canadian Bacon & Poached Egg On An English Muffin
• The Birchwood: Cheddar, Aged Brick Cheese, Sautéed Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions On Whole Grain Bread
• The Buffalo: Chicken, Blue Cheese, Cheddar, Onion, Celery & Wing Sauce On French Bread
• The Carnegie: Ham, Swiss, Dill Pickles & Yellow Mustard On A Baguette
• The Cheshire: Edam, Cheddar, Bacon, Avocado, Hard-Boiled Eggs & Tomato On Rustic Bread
• The Gibraltar: Greek Kasseri Cheese, Prosciutto, Pickled Onions & Fresh Spinach On Olive Bread
• The Luxurious Lobster: Lobster, Gruyère, Fresh Tarragon & Sriracha On A Pullman Loaf
• The Monroe: Limburger Cheese, Bacon, Spinach, Onions & Fig Jam On Whole Grain Baguette
• The Nantucket: Aged Cheddar, Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon, Capers & Pickles On Rustic Bread Or Focaccia
• The Perry: Blue Cheese, Poached Pears, Bacon & Almonds On Brioche
• The Sommerset: Chipotle Jack Cheese, Bacon, Sautéed Summer Squash & Zucchini On Sourdough
• Strawberry Balsamic: Brie, Strawberries & Balsamic Vinegar On A Baguette
• Turkey Time: Turkey, Tilsit & Brussels Sprouts On A Baguette
• Turkey Time #2: Turkey, Fontina Red Onion, Honey, Dried Cherries & Tarragon On Rustic Bread

 
Vegetarian

• The Sergeant Pepper: Pepperjack Cheese, Sautéed Cauliflower & Onion Rings On Sourdough
• South Of The Border: Queso Quesadilla, Salsa, Chiles On Jalapeño Bread
• Tuscan Style: Fontina, Mozzarella, Provolone, Asparagus, Roasted Red Pepper, Optional Figs & Balsamic Vinaigrette On Sourdough

 
Also take a look at Denny’s Fried Cheese Melt, made with American cheese and a layer of fried mozzarella sticks.
 
With A Twist

• Grilled Cheese Benedict With Poached Egg On An English Muffin
• Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese On White Bread

 
Dessert Grilled Cheese

• Bananas Foster: Mascarpone, Dulce De Leche, Bananas, Brown Sugar & Banana Liqueur On Brioche
• The Bianca: Mascarpone, Raspberries, Raspberry Preserves & Whipped Cream On Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• The Lisa Marie: Bacon, Peanut Butter, Banana & Hot Fudge On White Bread
• Mascarpone Grilled Cheese With Chocolate “Soup” On Brioche
• Chocolate, Cherries & Brie On Brioche

 
We conclude with two grilled-cheese tributes:

• Emma Stone: “I’m into grilled cheese. Grilled cheese makes me feel beautiful!”
• Stephen Colbert: “I gut check my show. And Gut says, ‘Yes it does, Stephen. Let’s get a grilled cheese sandwich.’”

 

[10] A personal favorite: truffle cheese with radicchio salad. Here’s the recipe; we took an extra step and marinated the sliced radicchio in a vinaigrette (photo © Veldhuyzen Cheese).
 
 
5. THE HISTORY OF BLACKBERRIES

Blackberries are among the oldest fruits gathered and enjoyed by mankind. The dark, glossy berries grow on thorny brambles in the genus Rubus, a large and diverse genus of woody and herbaceous plants in the rose family (Rosaceae).

The fruits of many plants in the genus Rubus are called caneberries because they grow on long, woody, upright or trailing stems called canes.

Naturally occurring caneberries include blackberries and raspberries, as well as less familiar (to Americans) cloudberries, dewberries, thimbleberries, and wineberries.

The genus also includes hybrid caneberries:

• Boysenberries: A complex hybrid involving raspberry, blackberry, dewberry, and loganberry ancestry.
• Loganberries: Cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry.
• Marionberries: A specific trailing blackberry cultivar.
• Tayberries: Cross between a red raspberry and a Scottish blackberry.

 
 
The Wild Origins Of Blackberries

Today, blackberries are enjoyed fresh, frozen, baked into pies and cobblers, folded into desserts, cooked into jams, and used in sauces, cocktails, and savory dishes.

But they’re more than simple wild fruits that have been cultivated. Their story spans prehistoric foraging, ancient medicine, folklore, and colonial settlement, through commercial breeding and modern agriculture.

Blackberries grow wild across much of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Americas. They thrive in hedgerows*, woodland edges, disturbed ground, and open fields, where their arching canes form dense tangles.

Because the berries are abundant, flavorful, and easy to recognize when ripe, they were an accessible seasonal food long before cultivation.

Archaeological evidence indicates that people in prehistoric Europe gathered blackberries as part of a broad diet of wild fruits, nuts, plants, fish, and game. Blackberry seeds have been found at ancient settlement sites, thousands of years old.

Like many wild berries, blackberries would have been valued not only fresh but also dried or preserved for use beyond the late-summer harvest.
 
 
Blackberries In The Ancient World

The ancient Greeks and Romans recognized blackberry brambles (the rough, tangled, prickly shrubs) for both culinary and medicinal uses.

• Roman writers referred to the fruits as mora. The berries were eaten fresh, made into drinks, and used in medicinal preparations.
• The leaves, roots, and bark were particularly important in traditional remedies. Blackberry leaf infusions were used as astringents, while other preparations were used to soothe sore throats, mouth ailments, and digestive complaints.

 
Blackberries In Medieval Europe

Beyond their use as fruit and folk healing, blackberry brambles held an unusual cultural role in medieval and early modern Europe. They were boundary plants: The thorny hedges marked property lines, enclosed livestock, and created living barriers around fields and homes.

Blackberry gathering followed a seasonal rhythm. In Britain, a longstanding custom holds that blackberries should not be picked after Michaelmas, traditionally September 29th.

Folklore explains that the devil spoiled the fruit after falling into a bramble patch. But in practical terms, late-season berries can become less appealing as cooler, wetter weather arrives and molds spread more readily.
 

[11] Blackberries ripening on the bush (photo © Susy Drake | Pexels).
 
From Wild Harvest to Garden Fruit

For centuries, most blackberries were harvested from wild plants rather than deliberately cultivated. Brambles were plentiful but not always welcome: They spread aggressively, scratched harvesters, and could overtake pastureland or neglected fields.

Over time, gardeners and growers began selecting plants for desirable characteristics such as larger berries, improved flavor, heavier yields, more upright canes, and fewer thorns.

In the 19th century, the United States became particularly important in the development of cultivated blackberries. Growers and plant breeders selected varieties suited to local climates, transport, and commercial production. The Pacific Northwest emerged as a major blackberry-growing region because of its mild temperatures, sufficient rainfall, and long growing season.

Blackberries are vigorous colonizers: Their seeds can be spread by birds and mammals, and their canes quickly form dense thickets. They often take advantage of open and recently altered spaces (cleared woodland, ditches, roadsides, grazed land) before slower-growing plants can claim them.

The good news is that there’s fruit to be gathered. The other side of the coin is that certain introduced blackberry species have become invasive in some regions, where vigorous brambles can crowd out native plants and form difficult-to-manage thickets.
 

[12] Here’s why you should be wary of keeping a wild blackberry bush in your yard (photo © SF Bay Gardening).
 
The Rise of Commercial Blackberry Cultivation

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, blackberries had moved beyond home gardens and wild hedgerows* into commercial farms. Improved varieties made fruit more consistent in size and quality, while rail networks and later refrigerated transport made it possible to sell delicate berries farther from where they were grown.

Commercial breeding has focused on practical traits:

• Large, uniform fruit for fresh markets and processing.
• Flavor and sweetness for eating, baking, jams, and preserves.
• Firmness to withstand harvesting and transport.
• Disease resistance and reliable production.
• Thornless canes to make harvest safer and more efficient.

Thornless varieties were especially significant. While wild blackberries are famously prickly, thornless cultivars made backyard growing and commercial harvesting far more appealing.

Despite these advances, the experience of picking blackberries from a hedgerow remains close to the fruit’s ancient past: stained fingers, thorny branches, ripe berries hidden beneath leaves, and the brief abundance of late summer.

In much of the temperate United States, blackberry harvest commonly runs from June or July through August, with some cultivated plantings continuing into September. In the Southern Hemisphere, the season is generally reversed, falling around December through February.

The exact season depends heavily on local weather. A warm spring can bring berries early, while cool weather delays ripening. For the sweetest fruit, pick berries when they are fully dark, plump, and detach easily with a gentle touch.

Blackberries have transitioned from a foraged wild food into a global cultivated crop, but they still carry the character of the bramble—abundant, hardy, slightly unruly, and deeply rooted in human seasonal tradition.
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

April 2nd is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day. You can have PB&J oatmeal, a PB&J-stuffed omelet or PB&J-topped waffles for breakfast,. For lunch, a PB&J sandwich for lunch, and PB cake or ice cream with a jelly/preserves topping for dessert—or a piece of this peanut butter and jelly fudge.

You can make this PB&J fudge in just 8 minutes, plus 4 hours in the fridge. Then, you’re ready for snacking.

Peanut butter fudge is super-simple to make, but adding jelly makes it more fun, not to mention a perfect way to celebrate National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day.

Made with just peanut butter, jelly, confectioner’s sugar, butter, and white chocolate, this rich, yummy fudge is a treat for kids and grown-ups alike.

The recipe is from ILovePeanutButter.com, the website of Peanut Butter & Co. It was developed by Caroline Wright of TheWrightRecipes.com. She used Peanut Butter & Co.’s Smooth Operator creamy PB.
 
Below:

> Recipe #1 for PB&J fudge.

> Recipe #2 for “crunchy” PB&J fudge with added chopped peanuts.

> 12 more PB&J recipes, from oatmeal to pizza.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of peanut butter and jelly.

> The different types of jelly, jam, preserves, and other fruit spreads: a photo glossary.

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of jelly.

> The history of sandwiches.

> The year’s 13 peanut butter holidays.

> The year’s 60+ candy holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY FUDGE

Prep time is 3 minutes, cook time is 5 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling to set.

Ingredients For 24 Pieces

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until melted; stir in the confectioners’ sugar and salt until combined.

[2] Grape jelly, a classic pairing in PB&J sandwiches, makes the fudge look a bit odd to us, but others may love the look. This is from Country Fresh Food.

[3] The prettiest peanut butter and jelly fudge. Here’s the recipe (photo © Nutriholist

3. REFRIGERATE until chilled and firm, about 4 hours. Cut into pieces. You can store fudge in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

More recipes follow.

[3] For sweet-and-salty, top the fudge with coarse-grained sea salt or kosher salt (Gemini Photo).
 
 
RECIPE #2: “CRUNCHY” PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY FUDGE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. LINE an 8-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan, ensuring that the foil is smooth to prevent creases in the fudge. Spray with cooking spray.

2. HEAT 2/3 cup of the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat.

3. STIR in 1 cup of white chips, mixing until melted and smooth. Stir in the peanuts and almond extract. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Chill.

3. HEAT the remaining sweetened condensed milk, jelly/jam, lemon juice, and food color in 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until beginning to bubble. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining white chips, mixing until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over peanut butter layer. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Tip: Adding lemon juice brightens the raspberry flavor.

4. REMOVE the fudge from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil. Using a warm knife, trim the uneven edges from the fudge. Cut into 64 squares.
 
 
MORE PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY RECIPES

 
________________
 
*Why almond extract? It enhances the nutty flavor of the peanut butter—or any nut butter you substitute.
 
 

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