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One of the many great things about early May in Virginia is that it’s strawberry season.
Strawberries might just be one of Nature’s most perfect foods. They’re at their best when they are grown organically and then eaten right after they’ve been picked. Strawberries grown in California (or further afield) and then shipped to your grocery store in January just can’t compare.
Strawberries are easy to grow, but you do need to keep an eye on them so that they don’t take over your garden. Or, you can keep them contained and grow them in a raised bed or pots on your patio. For more information on growing berries, check out this article at Organic Gardening.
If you don’t have a garden, I suggest that you get yourself to your local farmers’ market or a nearby strawberry farm to get some berries. One of the wonderful things about strawberries is that they freeze well, so you can save Spring’s bounty for future eating. And, of course, there’s always strawberry jam…
Some of you may not know this, but the best way to store strawberries is NOT in the fridge. Yes, strawberries last longer when kept chilled, but they lose flavor rapidly. Instead, leave them unwashed and unsliced at room temperature until you’re ready to eat them. Be advised that they will only last a couple days this way, so be prepared to dig in soon.
What is my favorite way to eat strawberries? With this amazing fruit, simplicity is the way to go:
- Strawberries taste amazing with plain or vanilla yogurt.
- Angel food and pound cakes are also quite wonderful when topped with fresh strawberries.
- Strawberries dipped in chocolate!
Strawberry season always seems too short to me and then I have to wait patiently for it to roll around again the next year. Luckily, blueberries and raspberries are right around the corner!
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I grow my own strawberries. It’s extremely important to eat only organic strawberries because they are so porous that it’s difficult to clean the pesticides completely out of them. Great ideas on how to use them Jen. We also put them in our cereal, make strawberry pancakes, and use them as a prime ingredient in smoothies and shakes.