Just when you least expected to see a flush of raspberries, they are coming in abundance to the Sequim Farmers Market. Delicious red raspberries are back and you can buy them by the flat.

Archaeological evidence shows that Paleolithic cave dwellers ate raspberries. The delectable fruit has been a part of the human diet ever since, though the canes were not cultivated until about the fourth century A.D., as documented by Palladius.

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. The scientific name for red raspberries, Rubus idaeus, means literally “bramble bush of Ida,” named both for the nursemaid and the mountain where they grew on the island of Crete.

Raspberries are members of the Rose family and derive their name from raspise, “a sweet rose-colored wine” (mid-15th century). All cultivars of raspberries have perennial roots but many do not have perennial shoots. In fact, most raspberries have shoots that are biennial which means that shoots grow in the first growing season and fruits grow off of those shoots during the second growing season. The raspberry flowers can be a major nectar source for honeybees and other pollinators.

Nutritionally raw raspberries are 86 percent water, 12 percent carbohydrates. The aggregate fruit structure increases the proportion of dietary fiber, which is among the highest known in whole foods. Raspberries are grown commercially in most U.S. States, but our state of Washington leads the way with 70 million tons per year in production.

Raspberries are wonderful, fresh and delicious when eaten simply with vanilla ice-cream but here is a fun twist on homemade raspberry goodness.

Healthy Raspberry Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh Sequim raspberries

3 cups of frozen chopped bananas

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup almond milk or milk of your choice

2 tbsp Sequim honey

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Instructions:

Add the raspberries, frozen bananas and almond milk to a blender. Blend for about 5 minutes or until smooth. It should be very thick, so you will need to stir often to get it to blend.

Add in the remaining ingredients and blend again until everything is mixed well.

Eat immediately as a soft serve, or place in the freezer in a container with a lid for at least 3 hours. After frozen, It will need to thaw on the counter for 20-30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!