It’s undeniable that the raspberry isn’t revered in quite the same way as its summer sibling, the strawberry. Yet these delightfully tart, tangy and juicy fruits deserve every bit as much love.
The reason they don’t feature as frequently as they should on our summer menu is presumably twofold – firstly because the ripe fruits are too soft to transport easily and secondly because they spoil too quickly. Their delicate constitution and short shelf-life make them a nightmare for any supply chain that is longer than your garden.
You’ll occasionally find supermarkets trying to overcome the problem by selling un-hulled fruit, a sure sign that the berries were picked before they were ripe. Whilst that might enhance their transportability, they invariably remain much too tart, so are best avoided.
There are a couple of ways to overcome this unfortunate state of fruity affairs. One is to visit a Pick Your Own farm (see June) and hand-pick your own punnet of berries on the day you’re planning to eat them. The slightly more labour-intensive alternative is to grow your own. They are relatively easy to grow in any sized garden and work well in containers if you have limited space.
Pick bright red, plump berries, ideally on a dry day when they’ll be at their fragrant best. Wash them as little as possible and only ever under a light trickle of water.
The earliest varieties come into season in June, with later crops producing fruit as late as October.
Try: Fresh raspberries with honey and oat ice cream (p. 171)