SqAznPersuasion: The ban in the states is lifted (or at least it is in Washington state), I know this because I purchased a few different varieties of black currant for my gardens this past spring. However, this fruit will never go commercial in the states. I think it’s available for private cultivation only.
I think the nursery explained it as though the disease they spread was culled through genetics and cultivating different varietals.
septic_tongue: As an Australian, this doesn’t seem like it can be real… But it is. You guys are missing out. Blackcurent Powerade, Apple and Blackcurrent juice, Ribena, Blackcurent soothers, other blackcurrent flavoured things..
Edit: [Nectar of the gods] (https://i.imgur.com/GnD9pFB.jpg)
HauschkasFoot: Unaware American checking in. Never heard of blackcurrant in my life, and if I saw it on a shelf at the store I would probably pull out my gun and shoot it
giritrobbins: This was just in a video I watched about hard candy flavors.
The fungus or whatever can’t be transmitted directly between trees but needs an intermediary which the berry bushes enabled.
jnksjdnzmd: What does it taste like?
Ellni: So you cant get Ribena over there?
surrounded-by-morons: I love black currants but never heard of them until I married a British man.
simpersly: In one of my college courses we had an assignment to make food products. One person was tasked with making a blackcurrant flavored syrup for snow cones . She was freaking out because nobody in the class had even the slightest idea what it tasted like. Eventually the professor caved changed the assignment to pear. It was pretty good.
It was for food science.
rollmop1: Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant Juice, along with Ready Brek is the reason I have an Amazon account, so I can get it imported from England to the US
obinice_khenbli: I’m sorry, what? This is hard to believe. If it’s true, well. That is very very strange. What a society they must have over there with no blackcurrant. What a strange place it must be.
wilfredthedestroyer: I’m an American, and yes, the rest of you are missing out.
I grew up on a berry farm in Minnesota, so we had hundreds of acres of black currents, red currents, raspberries and strawberries. Black current jam is absolutely fantastic, especially on crepes.
312-773-847: Just got back from London last week. I tried starburst and Skittles and was amazed how well the purple ones tasted. Needless to say Europe gets blackcurrent and US gets grape (blah, hate grape). Wish US would get with the times.
GingerBabyJesu5: We can get Ribena in Canada in British food stores but we basically don’t have it here either. I only know of it is because my parents are British immigrants from Lancashire.
thefinalsay_saysme: One of the Pepsi 1893 flavors is blackcurrant and it’s delicious.
RainyForestFarms: While it’s not a popular artificial flavor for candies in the US, blackcurrant and blackcurrant products are available here in OR (which is famous for berries and fruit). Lots of local companies make sodas, kombuchas, and teas flavored with it, jams and preserves are available in all the local grocers (Freddies, Market of Choice), bakers and ice cream shops use the flavor occasionally, and the fresh fruit is available in season.
I know that’s just one state, but I suspect WA is similar, and this makes me doubt that “A large majority [of Americans] have never eaten one — probably less than 0.1%” is anywhere near the mark.
For those of you who have never had one, put a nice muscat or muscatine grape, a raspberry, and a perfectly ripe blackberry in your mouth at the same time. That comes pretty close.
The artificial flavored blackcurrant candies use the chemical used in grape and the chemical in bloo raspberry, mixed together, and it doesn’t really do the fruit justice, any more than artificial grape does real grapes justice.
Boateys: I get Vimto from Korean grocery store. I love it. I know it has other flavors, but I can clearly taste something I haven’t had anywhere else in there. Has to be the black currant.
imsosickofusernames: American here.
We’ve been doing aroma identification exercises at my work. We use a kit called Le Nez du Cafe. It contains 36 vials, each with a specific aroma associated with it (think apricot, dark chocolate, basmati rice, clove.)
The vial labeled “blackcurrant” requires the most context and explanation for the 30+ staff members who have participated in the exercise. Only a single person has been able to make an association, referencing crème de cassis.
For most it’s the first time they’ve heard the word “blackcurrant”.
Anaxamenes: I know of it, I tried it when I lived outside of London. This is some nasty 🤢 in a bottle. I assume it’s how Brits feel about the heavenly nectar we call Root Beer.
Edit: spelling
spanisheyessmile: Lived in Europe so I knew about it. I have been able to find blackcurrant flavor for Sodastream here. I love it!
domyras: Dutch/Belgian: wtf is that? Never seen it & i love cooking/food..
eurekared: Holy sh*t. Is this the flavor of a Mexican soft drink they had in the 90s?
I think it was discontinued after a couple years, but it was fucking awesome and I can’t remember what it was called. Thanks for reminding me of good childhood times, OP.
Caputtohsi: Walmart carries blackcurrant juice here in their eastern European section. I tried it and wasn’t really impressed. Sour Cherry though is really good.
–Mute–: Visited England a few months ago. Tried black currant jelly on my toast. So good.
CaptainAwesome06: American currently visiting dublin checking in. Just yesterday I was wondering why they had so many things that are blackcurrent flavored. I already knew about the plant but had no idea about the history. Thanks OP!
B_P_G: I was aware of blackcurrant but I just thought it was some British thing that never caught on over here. Didn’t know we were banning it.
RordanJeed: Is that why grape/cherry flavour is much more popular over there?
GrumDum: And here I thought the purple Skittle is blackcurrant, but after some quick Googling, allegedly NOT in the US? Mindblowing!
itsmyfriendjay: Crucial liqueur for a proper Snakebite
Stuf404: Can we just send emergency care packages of ribena, blackcurrant flavoured sweets, good chocolate, irn bru and kinder eggs to the US now?
I feel like they’re missing out on life’s pleasures.
ital_stal: Kanye mentions Ribena in [this](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/estelle/americanboy.html) song.
rentaweasel: Very rarely, we have blackcurrant stuff, and it’s great. I’m surprised other Americans haven’t at least heard of it, whether or not it’s sold here. Must not get out much.
We should import a lot more.
Down_To_My_Last_Fuck: Interesting. I always wondered why current jelly and so forth was not a thing over here. I bet that’s why.
cantstopwillstop45: Found this out when I️ was in New Zealand for a month and couldn’t find grape jelly anywhere. Black currant is not a good replacement.
Boredsecretguy: All I know is whenever I come across black currant jam I buy as much as I can!
sour_creme: fun fact:
pear rust, is a fruit tree disease that also requires an intermediary, in this case, the cypress tree for the fungus to survive in the winter.
also… why always hating on black?
PigtownDesign: I love black currant and knew this fact. When I go to the UK, I stock up on all things black currant.
Nodebunny: i love black currant… know it mostly because of tea
retroflashbacks: Frutips
LeVin1986: Still have real difficulty identifying ‘black current’ flavor out of cabernet sauvignon. Tried black current juice, but juice is juice, and doesn’t do real fruit much justice.
bcsimms04: Currants sound amazing and like a good food/flavor but it’s true..most of us Americans have never heard of it.
rokimaru: A good friend of mine had 1 of the first 2 plants to be introduced to the US after the ban changed. They are delicious and do very well in Western Oregon climates. I fell in love with the flavor in Kenya, via Fanta.
bkwrmi: American here… Definitely find it to be more prevalent in Europe, but I was certainly familiar with currant (dried or preserves) prior to my first time abroad.
JohnnyAstro: If you are interested in trying black currant soda, most Indian grocery stores carry Vimto. It’s delicious! Even the diet Vimto is good.
FiveYearsAgoOnReddit: This explains the confusion over “Ribena, know what you’re drinking”.
DarkmoonBlastoise: I once made a dark souls character called blackcurrant. He used miracles(lightning) and had a striking resemblance to uncle Ben(The rice mogul not the Spider-Man one)
Maajiqld: Blackcurrent is my alltime favourite flavour. Love them fresh too. This explains a lot
youseeit: Thanks for the daily reminder.
boilingfrogsinpants: Canadian here. I have no idea what the heck blackcurrant is.
