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In early July, the raspberries start showing up.

Traveling up Castle Rock or River Road this past week has been a good venture for anyone interested in collecting raspberries. In many places along the side of the road, they grow wild alongside blackberry bushes. While most of the latter are already past their prime, raspberries will continue to show for at least the next week or so.

Finding a patch of wild berries is a great way to enhance desserts and salads during the summer, not to mention just popping a few in your mouth as you pick them. My wife and I happened across some wild raspberries while bicycling this past weekend, and after harvesting some fixed a refreshing summer dessert for friends Sunday evening. The recipe comes from the Enchanted Broccoli Forrest:

Ingredients

Small cantaloupe (one serves two people)
Raspberries (could also be blueberries or blackberries)
Yogurt (plain, 1 cup for two people)
Maple Syrup
Shredded toasted coconut
Lime

Halve the cantaloupe, and cut off the very bottom so that it rests flatly on a counter top (careful not to make a hole). Scoop out the seeds, and squeeze fresh lime juice over it. Depending how close you are to serving time, you may opt to refrigerate the cantaloupe at this point until near serving time.

Next, sweeten yogurt with maple syrup to taste (start with 1 tbsp) and add berries. Again, mixture may be refrigerated until near serving time.

When ready, spoon yogurt mixture into center of each cantaloupe. Top with toasted shredded coconut. Mint leaf garnish is optional. Serve immediately.

John Hildreth lives in Giles County, teaches at Radford University, and plays in the contra dance band Dot Dot Dash.
www.radford.edu/jhildret