Just as I was about to check my local farms to see if their strawberries were ready to pick, a co-worker brought over a bag of fresh-picked strawberries from the farmer’s market for me to taste. How’s that for inspiration! Strawberries have arrived in Northern Michigan and they are bursting with the taste of summer!
The last couple of years I’ve been going to the local u-pick farms to get strawberries. It’s more work than buying a pre-picked quart, but I like to seek out the reddest, ripest berries and sample them as I go. Tender and juicy, they can be as sweet as candy.
I love them fresh in my cereal and my salads best, but I also love to make strawberry ice cream. What could be better on a summer day? Enjoy them while they’re here!
Did you know?
Strawberries are indigenous to both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They grow by the seaside, in the woods, and on mountain tops.
They got their name in London, where children used to collect the berries, string them onto pieces of straw, then sell them at the markets as "Straws of Berries."
Strawberries are naturally high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium, and antioxidants.
The strawberry you eat is not reallya fruit or a berry, but is the enlarged receptacle of the flower.
Find it!
You can find 38 farms from Manistee County to the Mackinac Bridge that sell strawberries. To find a farm, visit http://www.LocalDifference.org, press the "Search" button in the "Find a Farm!" box, click on "strawberries," the county or counties you're interested in, and then press "Find It!"
Try it!
First, some tips on choosing and handling strawberries:
Always choose locally grown strawberries during the harvesting season, as they are sweeter and juicier than those that are bred for shipment.
When purchasing berries, shop with your nose. Always pick the plumpest and most fragrant berries. Remember, strawberries do not ripen after they have been harvested.
Wash the berries just before you plan to use them and use them as soon as possible.
Add sliced strawberries to your salads, yogurt, or granola. Add them to muffins and scones, too!
For an easy dessert: Wash and hull fresh strawberries and arrange in a large bowl. Put 1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche in a small bowl and 1 cup brown sugar in another. To serve, let each guest dip astrawberry into the sour cream and then into the brown sugar.
For a smoothie: Combine 4 large strawberries, 1/2 cup milk, 1 ripe banana and 5 ice cubes. Blend in a blender until perfectly smooth. Add 1-½ tsp. sugar if desired, blend one minute more.
To make the season last: Strawberries freeze easily, either with or without sugar in plastic freezer bags. Remember to leave head space.
Sources:
USDA Agriculture Research Service
www.whatscookingamerica.net
www.cooks.com
