Produce Spotlight: Raspberries!

First of all, Happy 4th of July, my fellow American friends! I love this holiday, not only because it is the day of my country's independence, but because of the food. It's a day perfect for burgers, made with grass-fed beef, and vibrant, scrumptious produce.

We love produce here at The Avocado and Me, huh? Fresh fruits and veggies are definitely my favorite things to eat. Not only are they delicious, but they also leave me feeling incredibly refreshed, and are good for my body. A win, win if there ever was one! One of my favorite fruits of all time are raspberries. When I was a toddler and I visited my grandparents' townhouse, my grandma always had some fresh fruit in the fridge. I found great pleasure in eating all of the watermelon, or the blueberries, or... the raspberries. Those were definitely the best. Nowadays, fruit is a special treat for me, and I only indulge every now and then. Although fruit has wonderful doses of fiber, flavor, and antioxidants, it also has a lot of sugar. Fruit every now and then is okay in my book, though. Today, for instance. The 4th of July. I think you'll understand when I say that it is a day that warrants some berries.

Let's travel back to baby Maya eat raspberries at Grandma and Papa's. Each raspberry would be placed upside-down on my every fingertip - who doesn't want to look like a tree frog? I thought that was so much fun. The raspberries always seemed to taste better when they'd acted as hats for my finger nails. They didn't, really. But I was convinced, my friends.

I thought that today, we would take a closer look at the raspberry, or the Rubus Idaeus, its correct scientific name. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, unicorns, mermaids, giants, and centaurs - I invite you to sit back and learn something new.

Meet the raspberry. A yummy little morsel of sweet juices with the slightest touch of tart. What isn't there to like? Did you know that "The word 'raspberry' seems to come from the Old French raspise, a term meaning 'sweet rose-colored wine'"("Raspberry Fun Facts")? The article "Raspberry Fun Facts" from the website Mobile-Cuisine elaborates that "There are over 200 different known species of raspberries but only 2 species are grown on a large scale." Isn't that absolutely insane? I would pay a good price to taste every type of raspberry in the world. Moreover, "Raspberries are a wonderful source of vitamin C, containing 40 percent of a person’s daily needs." 

In the United States, August 1, 2018 is National Raspberry Cream Pie Day! That sounds like it could be a boatload of fun and yum for sure.

"Most raspberries are summer-bearing varieties and all are self-fertile, meaning you’ll get fruit with only one variety. They’re best pollinated by bees, and will start producing fruit a year after planting"("Raspberries: How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Raspberries"). In the United States of America, raspberry production happens to be most prominent in Washington, California, and Oregon. The top producers of raspberries around the world, however, are Serbia, Chile, Russia, the United States, Poland, and Germany ("Raspberries, Serbia's Red Gold"). Now, here is a question I'm sure many of you are wondering - should you by raspberries organic? According to Brett Moore of The Spruce Eats, foods with the highest pesticide contamination should be purchased organic. Raspberries happen to fall into this category: "59% of red raspberries sampled were found to contain pesticides" ("Fruits and Vegetables You Should Always Buy Organic"). If you cannot find organic raspberries at a reasonable price, it isn't the end of the world to buy them non-organic. I'm no doctor, but you'll probably survive. 

Now, for some interesting info. According to the article "History of Raspberries,"Archaeological evidence shows that Paleolithic cave dwellers ate raspberries." Turns out, raspberries are a SUPER Primal option! In addition, "In the Greek stories, the berries were once white but when Zeus' nursemaid, Ida, pricked her finger on a thorn it stained the berries red and they have remained so ever since." I really like that one. It makes the fruit seem rather magical and Percy Jackson-ish. Oh, I used to LOVE that series, almost more than I loved raspberries. 

There you are, everyone! Your very first Produce Spotlight has been published and - lucky you! It just happens to be a ruby red delicacy in honor of the 4th of July. Or, if you aren't American, it just happens to be a ruby red delicacy to honor your taste buds. Next time you are at the local farmer's market, look for some good, organic raspberries. Splash 'em with a little heavy whipping cream, and you've got a delightful dessert in the bag. Enjoy, everyone!

Thank you berry much.

- Maya

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash, Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash, 

Photo by Mitch Lensink on Unsplash, Photo by Mona Eendra on Unsplash