Sweet, sweet raspberries…

Whether you prefer to purchase raspberries by the pint from the grocery store or at a farmers' market, pop a few juicy berries in your mouth and enjoy a sweet-tart sensation of summer anytime. This summer, find a farm to pick your own and spend a day in the sun picking (and eating) fresh, juicy raspberries off the bush. Just don't forget to save some to make your favorite sweet and savory raspberry recipes.

Besides being sweet and delicious, raspberries are a great source of fiber-some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol-and an excellent source of vitamin C. The gorgeous red color is from anthocyanins, an antioxidant. And did you know that raspberry-seed oil has a natural SPF of 25 to 50?

This is the first summer I'll be eating and cooking raspberries from free raspberry plants I scored last year (all I had to do was dig 'em up and haul them away). Soon to be cooked in my kitchen…

1. Hands down my favorite EatingWell raspberry recipe, Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken is easy and delicious. One sauce becomes marinade and dipping sauce, simplifying the dish.

2. One of the best garage-sale scores was made last summer-a barely used ice cream maker. I love making Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt on hot summer nights.

3. If you love all things lemon like I do, you must try Lemon-Raspberry Muffins. The secret to their sparkling flavor is the strips of lemon zest finely ground with the sugar.

4. Looking for an impressive dessert in a hurry? Raspberry-Almond Crumb Tart takes only 20 minutes to put together.

Shopping Tips

  • Choose juicy-looking, brightly colored fruit, as raspberries do not continue to ripen once picked.

  • If the hulls are still attached, don't buy the berries-they were picked too early and will be sour.

  • As with all berries, check raspberries for signs of mold or spoilage.

Storage Tips

  • Fresh raspberries are fragile and highly perishable. Store them in the refrigerator and use within 2 days.

  • To wash raspberries, gently spray with a fine mist just before using-the weight of water pouring from a faucet may crush them.

By Carolyn Malcoun

When associate editor Carolyn Malcoun came to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute, she knew she didn't want to work in a restaurant but knew that she wanted to do something in the food industry. Luckily she discovered EatingWell, where she's able to combine her love of food and writing.

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