Raspberries are coming on the BC fruit trucks this
week!
They are probably the most
fragile and perishable of all of our local fruit so plan to bring a cooler to
take them home in and then use them or freeze them right away.
Raspberry season in Alberta is later than BC
and are rare at Farmers’ markets because they are so fragile and labour
intensive to pick. Picking your own
berries is well worth it.
Alberta Raspberry Availability: Mid to Late July through
Fall Check for a berry patch near you
at: albertafarmfresh.com- u-pick.
You can also walk the alleys and look over your neighbour’s fence. Many people who have raspberries in their
yards get tired of picking them, so walk the alleys of your neighbourhood and
if you notice a yard full of unloved raspberries knock on the door and ask if
you can pick them.
Memories of raspberry picking- I grew up on our farm living
next to my grandmother Gertie who was a woman who didn’t waste anything. At one point in my childhood we had four 100
ft rows of raspberry canes. Not as a crop- just for our family. During the berry season this involved getting
up early on a summer morning and picking two rows each side and then the next
day picking the other two rows. Repeat again and again day after day. Grandma
was very competitive and loved to pick faster and more than anyone else. We used to see who could cover the bottom of
their bucket first. I have memories of
filling all the buckets then going to the house to get the turkey roaster and
filling the bottom and the lid. Then
there are the pies, jam, raspberries and ice cream, filling yogurt containers
with berries for the freezer. Sometimes
even canning them. Canned raspberries
and saskatoons combined are a beautiful thing on a cold winter night. My mom had a long sleeved shirt and a pair
of thick cotton gloves with the finger tips cut out to keep her hands from
getting scratched.
A long time friend Evelyn, has a massive raspberry patch. She
freezes crushed raspberries all summer in 4L buckets and then makes
the most magnificent raspberry wine all winter.
Good for you too!
Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, folate,
iron, potassium, antioxidants and cancer-fighting ellagic acid. Ellagitannins,
a family of compounds almost exclusive to the raspberry, are reported to have
anti-cancer activity and contribute to the raspberry's antioxidant power. They
are also a great source of fiber, which can help maintain your family's healthy
cholesterol levels.
They are a source of soluble fibers and may lower high blood
cholesterol levels and slow release of carbohydrates into the blood stream of
diabetics.
Half to one pound of raspberry fruit per day can provide
twenty to thirty grams of fiber which is adequate for an adult daily nutrition
requirement. (That's a lot of raspberries!)
Raspberry Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup, (250.0 g)
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 64
Total Fat 0.8g
Saturated Fat 0.0g
Polyunsaturated
Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated
Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 1mg
Total
Carbohydrates 14.7g
Dietary Fiber 8.0g
Sugars 5.4g
Protein 1.5g
Fragile! Handle with Care!
Do not wash your raspberries until you use them. Sort them
quickly, removing leaves and stems. Cool and store them in your refrigerator as
quickly as possible. Process or freeze your raspberries the same day that you
receive them for maximum flavour and quality.
Raspberries are perishable and lose their good quality
quickly, particularly after washing. For best results, rinse lightly and drain
in a colander. Do not soak raspberries in water. Drain well and let dry on
paper towels or absorbent tea towels.
Raspberries can be frozen whole, unwashed, by spreading them out on cookie sheets which are then placed in the freezer. A
day later, gather the raspberries which are now individually quick frozen (IQF)
and place in a plastic freezer bag or rigid plastic container, mark the date,
then replace in the freezer. Quickly rinse the raspberries under cold running
water before using them in your recipe. For best results, defrost your raspberries in the original
container in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the ice crystals to melt
slowly, with better shape retention than quick defrosting.
Making Jam is soooooo easy!
If you buy pectin such as Certo or Bernardin they always
have instructions inside the package. I
love making freezer jam because the kids can do all the crushing and stirring
which they love. I also find that freezer
jam tastes so fresh. A trick I use is
to freeze fruit in bags or containers in the summer and then I can make jam in
the middle of winter when I have more time and it’s cold outside.
Raspberry Freezer Jam
3 cups
crushed raspberries 5 1/2 cups
sugar 2 oz pkg. pectin crystals 3/4 cup water One half of the
raspberry pulp may be sieved to remove seeds if desired,. Add sugar to crushed
raspberries and mix thoroughly. Let stand 10-15 minutes. In small saucepan combine
pectin crystals and water. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 1 minute.
Combine with fruit mixture and stir a least three minutes. Ladle into
containers and cover tightly with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
Store in freezer. Yields 4 1/2 cups. (1.1 litres)
Homemade Jam for Gifts. There really isn’t a better hostess gift than a jar of homemade jam. It’s perfect for any occasion and having a special stash in the basement makes it easy to come up with a spur of the moment gift. For gift giving freezer jam really doesn’t work very well as it does need to stay frozen and then in the fridge. But preserving really isn’t hard either. I’ll be covering that in another blog. If you want to take a class we are offering one during the Farmers’ market on July 14. For $60 you get to spend the morning making a fruit jam, pepper jelly, and a gourmet mustard. The instructor, Pam Vipond, is a wealth of information and tips. You’ll go home with a jar of each type and skills to last a lifetime. I hope you teach your friends, kids and family members. Food Class info:
Berry Tart
Pastry:
1 ¼ c flour
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
½ cup butter
1/8 -1/4 cup
ice water
Cut the
butter into the flour mix and then add ice cold water and mix to make a crumbly
dough. Chill in the fridge for minimum of 30
min. Roll out flat.
Preheat oven
to 400 F.
Filling:
Gently
combine:
3 cups
berries
¼ cup sugar
(or more to taste)
2 Tbsp
flour.
Lay pastry
on a baking sheet. Add berry mix to the
middle. Fold up the sides to make a free
form tart- leaving the centre open.
Bake at 400 F for 20-30 min until golden and bubbly.
Serve with
ice cream or whipped cream.
Can be made
with any fruit and can also be made into individual tarts by dividing the pastry
into smaller sections.
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