Tayberries were first grown at the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute in 1980 by Derek Jennings who crossed the Aurora blackberry with a European raspberry. He named the berries after Scotland’s River Tay. They range in color from red to purple, with the purple ones being the ripest and sweetest. Tayberries have the seeds and juice of a blackberry but the shape and color of a raspberry.

Tayberry season is rather short, lasting from early June to mid-August. It has a sweet-tart flavor, and are not ready for harvest until they are almost falling off the vine. That is why when they arrive at the farmers market, they are at their juiciest and most flavorful. They can be eaten fresh, included in dessert, preserved in jam, or frozen for sorbet.

Low in calories and rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B and antioxidants, tayberries are the perfect summer fruit! Look for this unusual hybrid berry at your local farmers market.