History
What is more evocative of a British summer than strawberries and cream? Just when that happened is anyone’s guess. The earliest mention of the luscious fruit was in Roman times around 200BC. In medieval Great Britain newly weds enjoyed strawberries, borage and soured cream for their wedding breakfast believing them to be an aphrodisiac. The heart shaped fruit has long been a symbol of purity, passion, and healing
It is but a brief time when the fruit is in season, from early June through to August. The arrival of polytunnel-grown fruits has extended that time - good news for those who enjoy the fruits, but perhaps not for those whose countryside views are scarred by plastic.
By far the best strawberries to buy have to be from a local producer. A day out strawberry picking can be fun; supermarkets may sell the cotton wool impostors cheaply but the flavor is incomparable to home grown fruits.
How to Choose Strawberries
- Buy unblemished fruit with bright green hulls. Wash and handle them gently and as little as possible to avoid bruising.
- Only remove the hull after washing.
- Always let the fruit come to room temperature before eating. Better still, an hour in the sunshine before serving will dramatically improve the flavor.
The simplest and one of the best ways to serve strawberries are with cream. There are, however many more recipes both savoury and sweet. Of course, if the day out picking your own gives a glut of fruit, jam is a way to preserve the flavors of summer for the cold, dark, winter months.
