Blackberries (Rubus spp.) — dark purple, sweet-tart fruits high in vitamins and disease-fighting compounds -- are protected by thorny canes that twist into impenetrable brambles when left unattended.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been picking and eating what are arguably the best fruits I have ever tasted (a belief I often hold when a particular fruit is ripe). They are blackberries, but not ...