First thing’s first: Black currants are not the boxed “currants” you may have tried in scones or Irish soda bread—those are actually a type of raisin. Often labeled “Zante currants,” the raisins got their name in the 1920s when shipments from Zakynthos Island (also called Zante) in Greece were mislabeled at U.S. ports. 

Black currants (Ribes nigrum) are a different plant entirely. Straight from the bush, the blackish-purple berries burst with tart, tannic juice that delivers a puckering punch. Though they make a nice addition to fruit salads or cheese boards when raw, they truly shine when cooked—into jams, syrups, sauces, and countless other preparations. Other true currants (such as red and white varieties) are milder and often used in sweets, but the black ones stand out for their deep, earthy sharpness and versatility in the kitchen.

Few places are as synonymous with black currants as Burgundy, France, where the fruit flavors the famous crème de cassis liqueur. At Joseph Cartron in Nuits-Saint-Georges, the fifth-generation distillery uses Noir de Bourgogne berries—a low-yield variety prized for its complex aroma.

Black currants gained a foothold in Burgundy during the phylloxera crisis that started in the mid-1800s, when wine grapes were devastated by aphid infestations. Farmers turned to the humble berry to survive, making liqueurs and adding the juice to their wines, which made the fruit a regional icon.

Black currants are beloved elsewhere, too. In the British Isles, they show up in jams, sauces, roast meats, and Ribena, the ubiquitous cordial that’s often added to beer, hard cider, or just seltzer. Elsewhere in Europe, they’re used in syrups, pastries, and liqueurs. Russians turn them into tea or mors, a chilled honeyed drink, while Scandinavians toss them into desserts such as Rødgrød med Fløde.

Meanwhile in the U.S., entire generations were denied such delights. In the early 1900s, black currants were found to carry a fungus harmful to American pine trees and were promptly banned. That changed in 2003, when New York farmer Greg Quinn helped revive the crop. After proving that resistant cultivars of the plant were safe for forests, Quinn became the country’s first commercial grower since 1911. Today, he sells to makers of mead, cider, and cassis, and runs an online shop called CurrantC. “They have so many health benefits,” says Quinn. Black currants contain twice the antioxidants of blueberries, four-times the vitamin C of oranges, and double the potassium of bananas. In the kitchen, “they’re incredibly versatile,” he says. “You can’t unsweeten a blueberry or raspberry, but you can build flavor with black currants’ tartness.” He likens them to lemons, using them to add acidity and balance to rich dishes both savory and sweet.

We have a ways to go before black currants are on every supermarket shelf, so check your local farm stands in the summer and early fall. Easier yet, order them frozen year round from producers such as CurrantC and Northwest Wild Foods.

Once you start experimenting, you’ll see just how much flavor these small but mighty berries can bring to the table, and you won’t ever look back.

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Like any berry, all it takes to transform black currants into compote is a sweetener, spices (if you like), and time. Naturally high in pectin, the berries thicken with minimal sugar. Spoon the sweet version onto ice cream or add it to milkshakes, swirl it into yogurt parfaits, or smear it over toast with a pat of salted butter. For a savory preparation, skip the sugar and add a splash of red wine vinegar, a sprig of thyme or rosemary, and a crack of black pepper for a tangy, herby sauce to spoon over lamb chops or duck.

Add a handful of black currants to your smoothie with mango and labneh, or heat them gently in a saucepan until they burst before mixing them into oatmeal with honey and toasted walnuts. They also stand out in make-ahead favorites, including overnight oats and chia puddings, and they shine through a pancake or waffle batter.

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Rich, meaty mains like roast chicken, duck, and prime rib are all the more flavorful when they have a tart counterpoint. For a quick pan sauce, try deglazing your roasting pan with black currant juice or a splash of crème de cassis—just enough to lift the browned bits with a wooden spoon and create a glossy, tangy reduction. Or toss fresh or thawed black currants straight into the roasting pan along with shallots and balsamic vinegar for a glistening sweet-and-sour glaze you can baste your meat with. Even a spoonful of black currant compote added to braised red cabbage will pep up the flavor and make the dish more vibrant.

Steeped as tea (either solo or with leaves of your choosing), dried black currants yield a floral, zippy, strikingly purple brew. To dry them, spread the berries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and dehydrate at the lowest oven setting, or use a dehydrator until leathery and chewy. They make a wonderful addition to trail mixes or yogurt bowls.

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Homemade black currant syrup is a workhorse you can use to sweeten lemonade, seltzer, iced tea, or any other beverage you fancy. Simply simmer the berries with as much sugar as you like until they’ve released their juices, then strain. The concoction will keep for weeks in the fridge—the sweeter you make it, the longer it'll last.

For something stronger, black currant-based cocktails are as timeless as they are versatile. A splash of crème de cassis can turn mediocre white wine into a fancy kir, or bubbly into a kir royale. Or you can stir black currant syrup into a bourbon bramble or tequila drinks such as El Diablo, Diablo Blanco, or El Diablo de la Puebla. Try a Whiskey Seduction for a boozy, shaken sipper, or channel your inner Willy Wonka with a whimsical Fizzy Lifting Drink.

Any dessert that calls for strawberries, blueberries, or other berries will work swimmingly with black currants—just add a touch more sugar to balance their sourness. We like folding them into the batter in our favorite muffins, quick breads, and cheesecakes, and they bring welcome acidity to fruit fillings in cobblers, pies, and galettes.