Who knew a no-cook process that’s…

… been around for at least 2000 years in Korea would go so viral?

This is Cheong, and it’s basically like a sugary preserve that has many health benefits.

I’ve been seeing so many people sharing blueberry cheong recipes, on social media, raving about how it tastes like fresh, sweet blueberries. Over time, the sugar draws out everything from the blueberries until they shrivel up, extracting all of the goodness of the blueberry.

Having my own blueberry bush, I wanted to try it too and share the health benefits of extracting and preserving fruits in this way as I learn ancient methods of healing through my grandmaster.

I’m late to the game I know but it’s because for everyone else, blueberry picking season was in June and July, but I live in the mountains in the middle of nowhere where summer is like one month so here I am harvesting now.

When I first discovered my gut issues, my grandmaster told me to eat more blueberries since they’re packed in fiber and help with gut inflammation. Some people call it a superfood so when you use sugar to draw out the essence of a blueberry and ferment it over time, you can imagine how much of that goodness you’re drawing out into a concentrated syrup.

The health benefits vary per fruit. But in general, cheong is great for your immunity and I can’t wait to add these as a topping for my greek yogurt, enjoy it with my super healing flowers, make a blueberry matcha latte, and more. I even make one into a medicinal liquor by adding vodka! It’s good to do this in the summer because the process usually takes months, so by the time it’s done you can enjoy before cold weather when you’re prone to sickness.

Ingredients:

• Blueberries

• Sugar

Materials:

• Food scale (not necessary)

• Air-tight jar

Directions:

• If using a food scale, measure the same weight in both blueberries and sugar

• Add a handful of sugar to the jar, then add the same amount of blueberries at a time to the jar, layering blueberries and sugar to ensure the sugar is evenly distributed

• (optional) After all the blueberry and sugar has been added to the jar, poke the blueberries with a chopstick or a long stick to speed up the process of the sugar drawing out the essence of the blueberry.

• Store in a cool and dry place out of sunlight. Wait 1-3 months or until the blueberries are wrinkled and shriveled to enjoy! You can enjoy in moderation as a syrup, topping for yogurt, or add it to your tea or latte!

Tips:

• Make sure the blueberries are completely dry. No water should be in this.

• You must store this in a cool, dark place for optimal results

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