Raspberries are native to cooler climates and some say that those grown in Scotland are the best in the world. They are not well known in the Mediterranean, except in the higher, rainier, mountainous regions such as Piedmont, Lombardy and the Tyrol. Although red raspberries are the most familiar, white, yellow and gold fruit can also be found. Some wild raspberries in Scotland are pale yellow.
In Italy, raspberries – lampone – are used in tarts and sorbets or, like strawberries, are served raw with lemon juice and sugar. They lose their unique and delicate flavour when cooked.
Raspberries are extremely perishable so always look at the bottom of the punnet for damp stains caused by rotting fruit. It is important to pick out any rotting raspberries for they contaminate the others. It is not necessary to wash raspberries as they grow high off the ground.