The farm seemed like it was open just for me: I was early and it was the middle of the week. I settled on a spot to pick raspberries and proceeded to navigate through the bushes and thorns that the lady at the farm stand reminded me of. I could feel the morning sun on the side of my face and shoulder and how it shifted as I shifted position. Soon, people’s voices started to filter through; some were clear, some were muffled but they all seemed to bounce through the landscape. I remember thinking if I was listening to these voices any differently in the current setting than elsewhere. Some people said hello, some smiled and others just went about their tasks in silence.
Black raspberries are really deep purple in color when ripe and curiously red when unripe while red raspberries are bright red when ripe and not so red when unripe; the black variety tastes sweeter and less tart than the red.
Here’s a simple method to make raspberry purée:
Mash the red and black raspberries separately with some sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking to evaporate the water and obtain a consistency that will nicely coat a spoon. Strain the reduction through a food mill or strainer. Alternatively, the purée can be strained before reducing. A thin layer of each purée can be poured on top of one another or separated by a layer of cream and perhaps some chocolate.
The richness and depth of color when raspberries are opened and reduced to a sauce are in stark contrast to how understated they appear on the bushes. When eating them amidst the chitter-chatter of conversation, for a brief moment, it is hard not to revisit the question: does landscape, does environment influence how one listens to voices?
Email comment from reader, Douglas Hess:
Read your "berry" post. I've attached a recipe for a berry mousse. I can't remember where I got the idea of using corn starch, but I've tweaked this recipe through a few iterations, and it has been a smashing success at multiple get-togethers at my place. I love it's simplicity. Anyway, you can substitute raspberries/blackberries/blueberries for most or all of the strawberries, so I thought of it when reading your post.
Doug:
I enjoy the combination of berries and cream. So, thank you for the recipe, I particularly like the low proportion of sugar you use.
Bala
The carefully chosen handpicked raspberries indeed taste refreshingly fresh when compared to the berries available in the store. I always thought raspberries came in shades of pinkish red ,very delicate in nature but for the first time saw black raspberries and agree there was the subtle difference in taste between the two. The tart was a master piece and this post brought back memories of how it was so majestically served. The exclamations at the sight of the tart and the clicking of pictures when the desert was wheeled in is as fresh in my memory as the farm picked raspberries Thanks Balakrishnan for letting me experience this journey from the start to the finish-farm fresh raspberry to the home made tart.
Thank you very much for your kind comment. I am very glad you liked the process of raspberries from the farm being used in a tart.
The best use of raspberry is surely Craken.rasberries with whiskey cream and toasted oats the genius is in the simplicity
Thank you for this suggestion. While I've tried and enjoy the combination of raspberries with an alcohol-cream sauce (cognac), I've never tried it with toasted oats. It sounds delicious!