Fresh local organic black currants, small, glossy, near-black berries with a bold, tart flavor that mellows into something richer and sweeter once cooked. Black currants are having a comeback in New York, which was once the country's leading currant producer before a decades-long restriction on commercial planting, aimed at protecting the region's white pine trees, was lifted in 2003. Their strong flavor holds up well cooked down into jams, syrups, and sauces, and they're the traditional base for crème de cassis. Good stirred in small amounts into yogurt or oatmeal, or simmered into a sauce for duck, pork, or game. Pairs well with lemon, vanilla, and dark chocolate.