It's strawberry season! Let's celebrate!
Those little bursts of juicy sweetness make my taste buds dance with joy, and I wait all year for this precious moment when local strawberries are ready to enjoy. So different from the hard, flavourless, white-on-the-inside variety you can get all year 'round in the grocery store. Instead, freshly-picked berries are so delicate that they almost melt on the roof of your mouth, no teeth required. They are rich, fragrant, incredibly sweet - and red on the inside!
If you happen to stumble upon wild strawberries, buckle up because you'll be in for a treat! These tiny berries may be the size of a fingernail, but don't let their small stature fool you - they pack a huge punch of flavour and fragrance that is sure to leave you wanting more.
Since strawberries like to hide underneath their leaves, they are often hard to spot. Look for leaves that come in threes, growing very close to the ground. If you pull back the foliage, you will see tiny red berries patiently waiting for a home (in your tummy). It's almost like treasure hunting, but more fun since you get to eat your jewels!
Whether you're enjoying wild or farm-grown strawberries, it's important to be mindful of where they come from. If you can, I recommend purchasing organic / biodynamic berries when possible, as these have been more mindfully cultivated than conventional berries.
Strawberries have some of the highest pesticide residues out of all produce in North America (they're #1 on the Environmental Working Group's dirty dozen). If you're buying these sweeties at a market or directly from a farmer, have a conversation with them! Ask how their strawberries were grown, picked, and packed. And if you're going out to a farm to pick your own, don't be shy to inquire beforehand about their growing practices, if / when they spray, and with what.
Let's get curious about where our food comes from and know the wonderful souls providing it to us. And with a little care and attention, you can enjoy the sweet, fragrant goodness of strawberries all season long (think frozen, dried, or in jam).
xo, Sarah B
No comments:
Post a Comment