It's peak season for blackberries locally, ensuring their best flavor possible. Our pal Janna, from FreshFarm Markets in DC, has admitted to buying up all the blackberries she can find and freezing them so she can enjoy them into deep winter. We thought we should follow suit and pass on these simple steps so that you can enjoy them beyond the next couple of weeks:

Freezing: Blackberries, like most berries freeze nicely, keeping up to ten months in the freezer. When freezing blackberries, select firm, plump, fully ripe berries with glossy skins, rinse gently, and dry in a colander or on paper towels. Put them on a sheet pan or tray in the freezer, and when frozen, put the berries in a bag. This way they won't stick to each other and you can measure out as much as you want for your morning cereal, ice cream topping, or pies, cobblers, cakes, and pastries.

Tip: If blackberries are to be used in a cake, make sure the batter is thick, or the berries will sink to the bottom.

Fact: Researchers have known for quite some time that berries contain antioxidants which help to fight cancer-causing free radicals. A study at the University of Ohio has found that blackberries are the most potent cancer fighting berries of them all, by nearly 40 percent!

Recipe: Easy Blueberry Blackberry Crisp