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Many of us get upset over opening a beautiful melon or pineapple only to find that what we thought would be ripe and ready to eat are not as ripe as they appear to be. With raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, what you see is what you get.. if you are picking them from a fruit patch or from your garden, you’re getting unblemished fruit. On the farm we had a huge vegetable garden, plus apple, plum, pie cherries, pear trees and even a mulberry tree. (You don’t know what a mulberry tree is? Your grandma or great grandma can tell you.)

The birds liked that tree! We had lots of strawberries and raspberries to pick and we always had plenty of berries for mom to can as a sauce and make jam. We had a lot of berry customers who would buy the berries by the flat rather than just a couple of pints. I guess they were making jam too. It’s about raspberries today.
If you’ve not made a raspberry dip for dipping fresh fruits into, you’re missing out on a refreshing appetizer or a tasty “do it yourself” dessert.

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PINK RASPBERRY DIP
1-1/2 c. fresh raspberries
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar or honey
1-8 oz. pkg. low fat cream cheese
1-2 T. lemon juice to taste
Fresh cut fruit (large grapes, strawberries with their caps on, cantaloupe, pears, honey dew and apple chunks) using fancy picks to insert in the fruit

Combine raspberries with sugar or honey to taste, cream cheese and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and puree until just smooth but not runny. (The raspberry seeds will remain crunchy). Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, serve with a platter of fruit or store in a tightly covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Makes about two cups.

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This was one of Bud’s dads favorite summer time desserts.

RASPBERRY SODA CRACKER PIE
4 egg whites
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
16 saltine crackers, crushed
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Filling:
1-8 oz. carton whipping cream
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
2-1/2 to 3 c. fresh raspberries, blueberries, black raspberries or sliced strawberries

In a large mixing bowl (not plastic), beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in one tablespoon vanilla. Gradually beat in one cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in crackers and pecans.
Grease and flour a nine inch pie plate. Spread egg white mixture equally over bottom and sides. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes until just golden. Cool.
For filling, in a mixing bowl, beat cream, sugar and one tablespoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold in berries; spoon into crust. Store in fridge. Makes eight servings.
Note: I use no-stick cooking spray/flour in the pie plate. It works great. Also, if you are using black raspberries, use about four cups as they are small. Garnish with a couple of fresh mint leaves with a raspberry on the leaves.

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FROZEN RASPBERRY SQUARES
2 c. crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 qt. vanilla ice cream
1-8 oz. container sour cream (regular or light)
1 T. grated lemon peel
2 c. fresh raspberry

In a small bowl, combine wafers and butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture onto bottom of an 8x8 inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together ice cream, sour cream and lemon peel. Gently fold in berries. Carefully spoon berry mixture over crumb mixture, smoothing top. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
Cover and freeze at least four hours. Let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes nine servings.

Thought for the Day: A secret is what you tell someone else not to tell because you can’t keep it to yourself.

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