Beautiful, aromatic, and juicy red raspberries have existed for centuries. It is reported that raspberries go back as far as the People of Troy. Historians tell us they were the first to appreciate this luscious fruit.
By the Middles Ages, raspberries were well known and used in many foods as well as for painting and medicinal purposes. It was only the rich, like King Edward the First of England, who could afford such a luxury. It was King Edward who received credit for cultivating the red raspberry, thus spreading its availability to the “common folk.”
It was not until centuries later during the American Conquest, that Europeans discovered that Native American Indians had been using raspberries for a long time. Native Americans would dry them in order to make them last longer and then eat the dried berries on their extended travels. By this time, red raspberries were exceedingly common to most Europeans. Famous European scientists were even beginning to publish books on the useful purposes of the red raspberry.
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