This week we celebrate the Raspberry! Lovely, little, juicy, ruby jewels of goodness!
Visit our farmers to grab a pint or two of these wonderful seasonal ALL MAINE fruits!
See Hayward Farm and Jillson's Farm at market this week for berries.
Did you know...
A pint of raspberries contains two cups of the fruit.
If you want to make a nine-inch raspberry pie, you will need four cups of raspberries. (So be sure to buy 2 pints at market)!
Raspberries are high in potassium.
Raspberries are a good source of vitamin C.
Raspberries come in purple, black, and gold colors in addition to red.
Raspberries are very high in fiber.
Raspberries must ripen on the plant. They will not ripen any further after they have been picked.
Raspberries do not have a lot of calories. One cup has only 64!
Raspberries have a hollow core and blackberries do not.
Raspberries have no fat, cholesterol or sodium.
Raspberries are more fragile than other fruits. This makes
them harder to ship and more expensive to buy i
Raspberries can help lower high blood pressure.
Raspberries can be stored one to two days in the refrigerator.
Raspberries mold quickly if left at room temperature.
Smaller raspberries often have better flavor than larger ones.
One of the most interesting raspberry facts is that they are a member of the rose family.
One of my favorite things in the summer is Lemonade. Here is a great recipe for Raspberry Lemonade from Giada De Laurentiss!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) bag unsweetened frozen mixed berries, thawed
- 1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1 cup vanilla simple syrup, recipe follows
- 3 cups water
- Ice
-
Vanilla Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, pod reserved
Directions
In a blender, combine the berries, lemonade
concentrate and syrup. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large
pitcher. Add the water and stir, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Pour the lemonade into ice-filled glasses and serve.
To make Vanilla Simple Syrup:
In a small saucepan, over medium heat combine the sugar, water,
vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla pod. Bring to a boil, then reduce the
heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has
dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the
syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.
Yield: 1 cup
Notes
The blended mixture can be strained through a fine mesh sieve to remove the berry seeds, if preferred.
And here is the link to Food Network.com where you can find 915 recipes that include raspberries!
