RASPBERRY

In small little cardboard grayish-blue half pint size boxes gathers the jewels of the summer pickings. Raspberries are the most delicate of the summer fruit along with blackberries. I could not image doing more to them then nestling in some yogurt for breakfast or scatter over fresh ricotta that is then drizzled with honey. Please never wash the fragile berries that seem to immediately decompose at the mere thought of a faucet’s stream running done upon them. These gems grow in a thick bramble high above the dirt line what need is for washing. Oh, if it is pesticides you better run the hot water and get out the dish soap. The only times I find a moldy one is when I buy them at a supermarket were they have been shipped from somewhere to a loading dock and then to wait for my arrival at the store. Market fresh berries are definitely plumper, sweeter, and most obviously, more seductive to me.

Cook them if you will, but for me, there are best in a bowl with a fingers dropping in gently lifting out a gift for a mouth.