So much flavor in such a little berry!
The United States is the world’s third-largest producer of raspberries. Washington state leads the nation in red raspberry production, accounting for nearly 95 percent of the U.S. crop with about 70 million pounds per year.
Raspberries are delicious and nutritious, free of fat, cholesterol and sodium — but they are packed full of vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber. One cup is only about 64 calories
The most common raspberry is the red; it is also the earliest raspberry to fruit, followed by golden, blackcaps, purple and the elusive blue raspberry in late summer.
Red raspberries have a sweet-tart flavor, which is delicious eaten fresh alone or combined with other berries.
The golden variety is fuzzy, fragile and extremely sweet, with just a subtle hint of tartness.
Black raspberries, also known as blackcaps, have an intense, slightly tart berry flavor.
Purple raspberries have been produced by hybridization of red and black raspberries. At its red stage, the large, firm, round berries have a true red raspberry flavor. When fully ripe and dark purple, the taste is very sweet and rich.
Blue raspberries come from the whitebark raspberry, which bears a blackish-bluish fruit. This berry is the basis of blue raspberry flavor, a popular flavor for candy, syrups and other sweets.
Fresh raspberries can be found in your local farmer’s market beginning in late June. Choose dry, plump, firm berries with hollow cores. Avoid wet or moldy berries.
Do not wash until ready to eat. Refrigerate for use within one to two days; fresh berries have a very short shelf life.
One pint yields about 2 cups weighing about three-quarters of a pound and makes about two to four servings. Two pints (4 cups) of raspberries are needed for a 9-inch pie.
There are so many ways to enjoy this versatile fruit: Out of hand, added to salads, smoothies, muffins or breads, swirled into yogurt, or as pie or cobbler. Try them in raspberry fool, with shortcake, or sprinkled over ice cream or cereal.
To make sauce for pancakes, waffles or ice cream: Wash and dry berries and press through a sieve with the back of a spoon. Sweeten with fruit juice or sugar.
Raspberries can also be frozen, dehydrated or canned.
To freeze raspberries, rinse them in cool water, and thoroughly pat dry. Spread a single layer of berries on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen raspberries to resealable plastic storage bags or other freezer-safe, air-tight containers, forcing as much air as possible out before sealing. Store the frozen raspberries in the freezer up to six months.
Dehydrated berries can be used in baking and as a healthy snack.
Raspberries can be canned as a whole fruit, juice or jellied product. Always follow safe canning methods such as those found at the WSU Extension website: ext100.wsu.edu/clark/healthwellness/foodpreservation/.
Judi Seifert is a WSU Clark County Extension master food preserver. For more information, call 360-697-6060, ext. 5366,or visit clark.wsu.edu.
