Raspberry

In the early 1900s it was a group of Scottish market gardeners in Angus who decided to move out of traditional strawberry production and into raspberries. They formed a co-operative and in subsequent decades established the Scottish crop as the dominant British supply. On the fertile Tayside soils – once favoured by the farming monks of the middle ages – the raspberry matures slowly, producing a flavourful berry around the beginning of July. The quest for perfection in raspberry quality is everlasting. Among the experimental raspberry canes at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) at Invergowrie, there is endless variety of size, colour, brightness, firmness and flavour; all to be considered in the search for a perfect raspberry. Currently in production are Glen Clova, one of the oldest varieties (1969), and Glen Moy and Glen Prosen (both released in 1981). Other varieties include: Glencoe, a purple raspberry (1989), Glen Garry (1990), and Glen Lyon (1991). There is also the autumn fruiting variety, Autumn Bliss, which serves a niche market while Magna, Glen Ample and Glen Rosa are the newest varieties of the later 90s. Visual and taste differences between the main varieties are minimal. Clova is medium-sized, light to medium coloured fruit with a sweetish-sharp flavour. Prosen is medium-red coloured with a slightly sourer flavour but is a firmer, more easily transportable fruit, while Moy is a large berry, also medium-red coloured and generally regarded as the best flavoured of the three. Neither too sharp nor too sweet, its flavour is more rounded but it is also the one with the shortest shelf life.