Find the most important etiquette rules on how to serve and eat raspberries and tips to be the ideal host or the perfect guest at the dining table.
What raspberry etiquette is
Raspberry etiquette is the set of rules to properly serve and eat raspberries. Such rules help avoid behaviors that can disrespect hosts or guests, or make you look unpolite.
If you are hosting, follow raspberries etiquette to serve them to your guests appropriately.
If you are a guest, respect raspberries’ etiquette rules to properly eat and enjoy them.
What you should know about raspberries
Raspberries are small bunch-shaped berries. Russia, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, and the United States are the main growers of commercial varieties.
The most common Raspberries in commerce are red in color. However, yellow, black, blue, and purple varieties exist too. Their taste is mostly sweet with acidic notes. The texture is soft.
Etiquette tips to serve and eat raspberries
1) How to store raspberries
Ideally, eat raspberries the same day you buy or pick them.
Store raspberries in the fridge. Keep them in their original packaging or place them in a sealed container. They can last for 2 to 3 days.
In the freezer, raspberries can last for up to 6- 9 months.
Keep raspberries at room temperature only if you are going to eat them on the same day.
2) How to clean raspberries
Some growers use pesticides or similar products to protect their plants. Thus, you should wash raspberries thoroughly.
Apply extra care, as raspberries are delicate fruits. Place them in a bowl with fresh water. Keep them there for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, rinse them under slow-running water. Do not place them directly under the tap, as the pressure may destroy them.
You can let them dry on a cotton or hemp cloth.
Consume raspberries immediately after washing them.
3) How to cook raspberries
Fresh raspberries are perfect for yogurt and cereals, fruit salads, pancakes, waffles, or crepes. You can add them on top of ice cream. They are a great ingredient for fresh juices, smoothies, or milkshakes.
You can use raspberries to make purées, sauces, or jams. Bake raspberries in muffins, scones, tarts, pies, or crumbles. Or use them to make raspberry wine or liqueur.
Raspberries are also a great decoration for dessert. Add them on top of your dishes right before serving.
4) How to serve & present raspberries
You can serve raspberries for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
Serve them washed, in a serving bowl. Present them with a serving spoon. You can accompany raspberries with yogurt, mascarpone, or gelato.
Alternatively, you can serve raspberries in small individual cups. Present them with a dessert spoon.
Serve raspberries slightly chilled or at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge between 10 and 30 minutes before serving.
5) Food and wine to pair raspberries with
Raspberries pair well with dairy products. Yogurt. Mascarpone. Whipped cream. Or milk-based food such as gelato or Kefir. They can go well with some cheeses too.
They are a great topping for crepes, pancakes, or waffles. Their flavor matches well with citrus, chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, and cinnamon.
Raspberries go well with other berries. Such as strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries. You can pair them in fruit salads with bananas, apricots, peaches, or coconut.
Pair raspberries with sweet wines or sparkling wines. Sweet wines such as Muscat, Moscato, Brachetto, or a sweet Riesling. Sparkling wines such as Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava.
6) How to eat raspberries
Eat raspberries with a dessert spoon or teaspoon. Alternatively, you can use a larger spoon or a fork.
It is appropriate to use your fingers. However, it is not recommended, as ripe berries tend to be very delicate.
Eat one or two raspberries at a time. Do not stuff your mouth.
Raspberry etiquette: the worst mistakes
Avoid the worst raspberry etiquette mistakes.
- 8/10. Serving spoiled raspberries.
- 8/10. Serving unwashed raspberries.
- 7/10. Serving unripe raspberries.
- 6/10. Putting more than 2 raspberries in your mouth at a time.
Additional information for properly serving raspberries
How many calories per serving?
Counting calories is important to stay healthy and to correctly plan a menu.
Raspberries contain 53 calories per 100 grams. A single raspberry weighs between 3 and 5 grams. Thus, it contains around 2 calories.
How to buy the best raspberries
A crucial factor in raspberry etiquette is to serve the best product possible to your guests.
Season and availability
Red raspberries are in season from May to August.
Choose the best
Raspberry season ends in September. Thus, you are unlikely to find excellent, fresh berries afterward.
Buy them when they look plump and bright-colored. The color should be even.
Avoid raspberries that have their stems still attached. Ripe raspberries detach naturally from their stem. Thus, berries with the stem were likely picked too early.
Alternatives to raspberries
The best substitutes are other berries, such as blueberries and blackberries.
Sources
- Red Raspberry Production: extension.psu.edu