Produce Highlight: First Strawberries of the Season!
It’s that magical time of the year again, when the first strawberries of the season have arrived at the Saturday Morning Farmers’ Market! Juicy, sweet, and ruby red, there’s nothing better than the flavor, fragrance, and texture of fresh strawberries! Picking your own or getting them from your local farmers’ market is the only guaranteed way to get the freshest berries, as they most likely haven’t traveled far, are handled much less, and picked when perfectly ripe! A plump, firm, deep red berry that’s medium sized is your best bet!
If you love them as much as we do, head down this Saturday to grab your own fresh, delicious baskets from an array of local Farmers!
Fast Facts!
- Strawberries aren’t true berries! Technically, a berry has its seeds on the inside. Each seed on a strawberry is considered by botanists to be its own separate fruit.
- Strawberries can also be pickled.Especially when picked green or unripe. If your berries are overripe, make jam!
- Strawberries are members of the rose family. That’s why they are so aromatic!
- California produces 80% of the strawberries in the US!
- The ancient Romans thought strawberries had medicinal powers. They used them to treat everything from depression to fainting to fever, kidney stones, bad breath and sore throats.
- Native Americans ate strawberries long before European settlers arrived. As spring’s first fruit, they were a treat, eaten freshly picked or baked into cornbread.
- You shouldn’t rinse or wash strawberries until right before you plan on using them – it speeds up spoiling!
Keep Your Goods Good!
Look for berries that are plump, firm, and have a deep red color. A nice medium size is going to be your best bet, as very large strawberries tend to be hollow on the inside, and very small strawberries tend to be seedy. Another good sign is sheen. Fresher berries have more shine! If they are over-ripe, they start to look dark and dull.
To store, put them in shallow containers in your fridge as soon as you get home. Make sure they have space and air; strawberries don’t like to cuddle or feel crowded! Wash berries in cold water right before using them, not before storing. Always leave the caps on your berries when possible, this helps strawberries stay firm and last longer. They will deteriorate with time, so use them as soon as possible! If you can’t use them up, try freezing them!
Sweet and Sour Strawberry Semifreddo with Black Sesame
Recipe courtesy of bonappetite.com
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled, quartered
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook strawberries and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until strawberries have broken down into a thick, chunky jam (they should not be syrupy), 10–15 minutes. Stir in vinegar; let cool.
- Meanwhile, toast black sesame seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
- Whip cream and salt until cream holds a medium-stiff peak. Gently whisk in sweetened condensed milk and yogurt until completely blended. Gently fold in half of strawberry jam, just enough to create streaks, then gently fold in remaining jam (mixture should look marbled with pockets of jam).
- Transfer to a medium bowl or loaf pan and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Serve semifreddo topped with toasted sesame seeds.