Red Raspberries
These are usually the priciest berries in the market because they’re more perishable and harder to ship than other berries. The velvety cultivated raspberries in the market are likely to be more mellow-flavored than the tarter raspberries grown in the wild. Examine packages carefully to make sure there are no visible signs of mold. Berries should smell sweet, not moldy. Rarely will you see a raspberry in the market with the stem attached. If you do, you’ll know the berry wasn’t ripe when picked. To prevent mold and mushiness, don’t rinse and drain raspberries until just before using.

Black Raspberries
Though fresh black raspberries are less available commercially than the red variety, they’re a common and tenacious, even invasive, backyard phenomenon. The flavor is similar to the red variety, but a little richer in taste. Ripe black raspberries are evenly dark purple-black; immature berries with pinkish or whitish spots won’t be as sweet.

Golden Raspberries
Because they’re fragile and don’t ship well, golden raspberries are a rarer find in markets. Except for color, they’re similar in appearance to red raspberries; their flavor is slightly sweeter. And, in case you’re wondering, the golden raspberry is a product of nature, not genetic engineering.

Blackberries
These more or less oblong berries look like overgrown black raspberries, with a distinguishing difference: When you pick a raspberry, the core remains on the bush and you’re left with a berry that has a hollow center. When you pick a blackberry, the edible core remains in the berry. As with black raspberries, look for fruit that’s purple-black all over; avoid fruit that’s still tinged with pink or white.

Blueberries
Tiny, wild blueberries are generally more intensely flavored than the large cultivated varieties commonly found in the market, but either may be used in recipes. Look for berries that are evenly blue (with a slightly dusty-looking whitish haze over the blue skin) without patches of white or green or pink, which indicate immaturity. Rinse just before using.

Strawberries
Choose strawberries that are deep red all over. Strawberries don’t ripen off the vine, and immature pale orange ones won’t be sweet; whitish tips will have to be cut off. Check the package carefully to make sure there’s no sign of mold or softness. With commercial varieties, size isn’t a predicator of sweetness; aroma is. In specialty stores, you may be lucky enough to find the tiny, wild and super-sweet French fraises des bois (literally, “strawberries of the woods”).

To prevent berries from becoming waterlogged, rinse them before hulling. To prepare the drained berries, trim the green stem end with a small paring knife or the tip of a vegetable peeler. A strawberry huller, a tweezers-like gadget, also works efficiently.