Raspberry Rhubarb from Alpe Pragas, sweet and tart
Raspberry Rhubarb fruit spread from Alpe Pragas divides the jar equally between fruit and vegetable. The raspberry contributes fragrance and sweetness, the rhubarb its sharp acidity, resulting in a pink-red creation in a 335-gram jar full of fine seeds.
Raspberry Rhubarb is the fruit spread from Alpe Pragas in South Tyrol’s Prags Valley, labeled as Raspbarbarum. Both are present in equal parts in the jar, along with sugar, a little lemon juice, and apple pectin as a binding agent.
Pink-red, fruity, with sharp acidity
Upon opening, the sweet aroma of ripe raspberries rises up, underscored by the fresh, almost green acidity of the rhubarb.
On bread, it starts out berry-like and soft, then the acidity kicks in, turning a sweet bite into a lively one. The spread in the jar is pink-red, spreadable, and filled with tiny raspberry seeds that provide a soft crunch when eaten.
At Alpe Pragas, the sugar is kept in check, which is evident in the color. It remains light and pink, where long-cooked products would have long since turned brownish. Those accustomed to pure raspberry will notice the difference with the second bite. The rhubarb lingers longer than the berry, drawing out the flavor.
Rhubarb, the vegetable in a sweet jar
Rhubarb belongs to the knotweed family and is therefore a vegetable, even though it has always ended up in cakes.
Only the stalks are eaten; the leaves remain in the garden. Traditionally, the harvest ends on St. John's Day in June; after that, the stalks are left so the plant can gather strength for the following year. It has sprouted long before then, as rhubarb arrives early in the year, long before the first raspberry is ripe.
Its acidity is precisely the reason it is paired here with the raspberry. Neither one carries the jar alone, and this standoff creates a tension that a pure berry variety lacks.
For breakfast and over rice pudding
The spread is right at home in the morning on white bread, in muesli, or over pancakes.
Quark, vanilla pudding, and rice pudding readily absorb the acidity, as it provides a nice counterpoint to the milk. It makes for a great filling in a Swiss roll, a topping for panna cotta, or mixed with cold water and ice, a pink-red lemonade for hot afternoons. Served beside a piece of cheesecake, it replaces the sauce, and over warm Kaiserschmarrn, it provides the acidity that would otherwise be supplied by plum compote.
Give it a quick stir before spreading it on your bread so that the raspberry and rhubarb are evenly distributed in the jar again.
Raspbarbarum, the jar for summer
Raspbarbarum is written on the label, a name that succinctly blends the two ingredients together.
It suits a variety that doesn't take itself too seriously and yet remains on the table all summer long. Anyone familiar with rhubarb compote from childhood will find this the shortest route back, just without the pot and without the wait.
The raspberry on its own can be found in our Raspberry Fruit Spread. To see what else is preserved, take a look at the fruit spreads from Alpe Pragas and the Alpe Pragas assortment.
