Raspberries

Raspberry Season
Rosaceae
By Jennifer A. Wickes
Copyright 2003

Varieties
There are numerous varieties of raspberries. In the supermarket, we may be able to tell the difference by their color. There are black raspberries, golden raspberries and the most available one, the red raspberry.

Season
May to November

How to Select
Choose bright colored berries that are plump and have had their hulls removed. If the hulls have not been removed, then the berries were picked before they were ripened, and will most likely be rather tart. Avoid any soft, shriveled or moldy berries.

Storage
Store unwashed raspberries in a moisture-proof container in a single layer on a piece of paper towel. They will keep fresh up to 3 days.

Nutritional Qualities
Raspberries contain iron, potassium, folacin, Vitamins A & C, and sometimes calcium has been added when the berries were processed.

Equivalencies
½ pint = 1 1/3 cups
10 oz. frozen = 1 ¾ cup
½ cup puree = 4 oz. fresh = 1 cup cooked and drained

Serving Size
¼ - ½ pint

Tip
To keep your raspberries red during baking, substitute some of the liquid with buttermilk, sour cream or lemon juice. This will help create an acidic environment, which berries need to keep their red color.

Trivia
The bark, leaves and roots have been known through time to help alleviate diarrhea; help build strong bones, teeth and nails; and has been used as a tonic to help women. This tonic is a tea made from the leaves which may aid in morning sickness, hot flashes, cramping and possibly to help prevent miscarriage.

Additional Information (Web Sites)
Oregon Raspberry Commission

Recipes

Raspberry Scones
by Jennifer A. Wickes
copyright 2003

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 large egg -- beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg -- beaten
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) with rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with a non-stick vegetable oil. To make the glaze, mix together the beaten egg with the cream. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender, two knives, or fingertips. This mixture should look like coarse crumbs. In a small measuring cup, combine the whipping cream, buttermilk, beaten egg and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquid, stirring with a wooden spoon until the batter forms moist clumps. The batter will be sticky. Do not overmix. Carefully, add the raspberries.

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