My pick of the week this week is raspberries. The Coffs Harbour fruit is finished now, and we have new season Tasmanian fruit which is absolutely premium quality and will keep better than the NSW product. Raspberries flush twice through the year, now for about ten to 14 days and again in early Autumn. These summer raspberries are just a delight at this time. Great for dessert or breakfast added to mangoes and the other berries, they are just so good on the warm days we are starting to finally enjoy. Usually, this flush of fruit is finished by Christmas week when demand is at an all-time high. So, enjoy them whilst they are plentiful!
Raspberries are about 1.5-2cm long, cylinder-shaped, with deep red colouring and a sweet flavour. They actually consist of a collection of tiny fruits, each with its own seed covered in red skin and flesh, which form a helmet-shaped cluster around a small stem. When harvested the cluster comes away from the stem leaving a hollow in the centre.
Raspberries are a top source of dietary fibre, an excellent source of vitamin C and a source of folate and vitamin E.
HOW TO PICK
Look for brightly coloured raspberries with plump, blemish-free skin.
HOW TO STORE
Remove from the punnet and place unwashed on paper towel on a plate. Cover with plastic and store in refrigerator for a couple of days. Raspberries are highly perishable. Use as soon as possible.
