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- Raspberries.

How to make the most of this deliciously crop – one that is, for so many Kiwis, the delightful harbinger of the summer ahead.

PHOTOS: NICOLA GALLOWAY • PORTRAIT: DANIEL ALLEN

To me, raspberries are a hint of good things to come. My ideal raspberry patch took some time to create. I had hopeful plans of neat rows of berries, which was completely thwarted by their spreading nature. Clearly, raspberries have a mind of their own – and since I gave up fighting them and let them populate the triangular garden bed rather than growing along the edge, all has been well and good in the raspberry patch since.

I started with three raspberry canes purchased from a market stall. I don’t recall the variety (or even if it was named) but from my research I suspect it is the ‘Waiau’. The canes fruit abundantly in late spring and then again late summer into autumn. The second flush has by far the best flavour; I gather this is from the drier nature of the berries (allowing the sugars to concentrate) in late summer compared to spring.

Growing raspberries is relatively easy. They are a low maintenance crop. I give them a sprinkle of compost over the patch in spring, checking for any rogue offshoots escaping from their contained bed while at the task.

These shoots are either given away (a great gift for gardening friends) or planted inside the bed to fill any gaps. Then in winter, once the leaves have dropped, the fruited canes are pruned back to the base to let the new growth bring next season’s harvest.

Raspberries don’t keep well so are best eaten the day of picking. Excess can be frozen in a single layer on a tray (to prevent clumping) then tipped into a freeflow bag once frozen.

To be honest I am lucky to have enough homegrown raspberries to freeze, as my youngsters will happily eat them unadorned on the garden steps. What I can sneak past them is happily used in the kitchen to make the recipes that follow.

The first summer fruit to ripen in the garden, raspberries are a welcome harvest after the leaner months of early spring.

Raspberry Vinegar

This raspberry-infused vinegar adds a glorious summer twist to salad dressings and the like. It also makes a wonderful gift as we draw closer to the giving season, and it can be prepared well in advance. Increase the quantities to make a larger batch if going down that track and package into small bottles. Blackberries or boysenberries can also be used to make this infused vinegar, as can frozen berries. The sugar is optional but does help to balance the tartness of the vinegar and enhance the raspberry flavour.

Prep time: 2-3 days Makes 350ml

2 cups (about 240g) raspberries

250ml (1 cup) white wine or apple cider vinegar

(minimum 5% acidity)

2 tablespoons sugar or honey (optional)

Place the berries into a bowl and mash with a fork to roughly break them up. Add the vinegar and sugar/ honey if using and mash again to combine. Cover and set aside for 48-72 hours until the vinegar is blushed pink and the berries opaque.

Strain the vinegar through a fine mesh sieve into a jug pressing out as much liquid as possible. To remove the pulp, strain again, this time through a double layer of cheesecloth (this step is optional but will refine the vinegar and remove sediment).

Decant into a clean bottle, or use a selection of small bottles for gifting.

Store in the pantry and use within 3 months.

Blackberries or boysenberries can also be used to make this infused vinegar, as can frozen berries. The sugar is optional but does help to balance the tartness of the vinegar and enhance the raspberry flavour.

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2022-11-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-11-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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