Strawberries
Fresh summer strawberries are one of the most popular, refreshing, and healthy treats on the planet. They also appear to carry a number of health benefits.
Buy It
Choose brightly colored, dry, firm, shiny, plump berries that still have fresh-looking green caps attached. Avoid soft, dull looking, or shriveled berries. Since strawberries do not ripen after being picked, avoid berries that are partly white or otherwise unripe.
It may seem obvious to say, but strawberries should smell like strawberries. Take a whiff before you buy.
Add It
Pour a bit of heavy cream over strawberries, sprinkle with sugar to taste.
Drizzle strawberries with a good-quality balsamic vinegar.
Dip strawberries in sour cream or plain yogurt and then into a bit of brown sugar.
Combine with other berries, melons, and tropical fruits in a simple fruit salad.
Add strawberries to a simple tossed green salad (think of them as sweeter tomatoes!).
Slice and sprinkle with sugar for an Easy Strawberry Sauce.
Mash strawberries and fold into some sweetened whip cream to make a Strawberry Fool, the world's easiest dessert.
Prep It
Do not wash or hull strawberries until you're ready to use them. Store (preferably in a single layer on a paper towel) in a moisture proof container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days
Before storing in the refrigerator, remove any strawberries that are molded or damaged so that they will not contaminate others. Place the unwashed and unhulled berries in a sealed container to prevent unnecessary loss of humidity. Make sure not to leave strawberries at room temperature or exposed to sunlight for too long, as this will cause them to spoil.
To freeze strawberries, first gently wash them and pat them dry. Once frozen, transfer the berries to a heavy plastic bag and return them to the freezer where they will keep for up to one year. Adding a bit of lemon juice to the berries will help to preserve their color.
