Humans have been eating raspberries for millennia. Our Palaeolithic ancestors would have foraged for – and feasted on – these delicate berries for their flavour and nutritional properties.
Botanically speaking, they actually belong to the rose family – Rubus idaeus – a name that references ‘Ida’, both an area where the fruit was abundant, and a nymph from Greek mythology whose blood purportedly turned the originally white fruit, red. The common name ‘raspberry’ comes from the fifteenth-century word ‘raspise’, which, charmingly enough, translates as ‘a sweet rose-coloured wine’.
Today, they’re an affordable luxury, lending their unique flavour profile to some of the best summer cocktails around. Here are five of our favourites.
Raspberry Margarita
This brilliant tequila-based cocktail makes the perfect summer cocktail – fresh fruity and delicious. It’s simple to make, too. Simply pour a generous measure of tequila into a blender, together with a shot of triple sec (or Cointreau), a shot of lime juice and a handful of fresh raspberries. Add a cup of ice and blend till smooth. Garnish with more raspberries and a mint leaf.
Raspberry Mojito
This raspberry-infused cocktail is a riff on a traditional mojito. It uses all the classic ingredients – rum, lime, mint and soda water – but incorporates fresh raspberries for a uniquely summery flavour profile. Muddle mint leaves with a small handful of raspberries in a highball glass. Add ice, a squeeze of lime, a large measure of white rum and a splash of Chambord. Top with soda water or ginger ale and stir. Garnish with mint sprigs.
Clover Club
This cocktail – a favourite among regulars at Philadelphia’s Bellevue-Stratford hotel in the late 1800s – is a classic. Simply muddle a small handful of fresh raspberries with a splash of sugar syrup in a shaker. Add a large measure of gin, a squeeze of lemon juice and an egg white. Shake vigorously till ice-cold and frothy. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with extra raspberries.
Raspberry and Rose Spritz
This spritzer-style cocktail pairs raspberry with its close relative, the rose, to fragrant effect. Combine equal quantities of chilled rose wine and raspberry lemonade, adding a drop or two of rosewater and garnishing with fresh raspberries for the ultimate garden-party drink.
Raspberry Daiquiri
A super-summery twist on a classic cocktail, this version pairs white rum with lime juice and fresh raspberries. Gently crush half-a-dozen raspberries with a teaspoon of caster sugar and a splash of lime juice in a shaker before adding a generous measure of white rum and a cup of ice. Shake well and strain through a sieve into a champagne coupe.
