Summer is the finest time of year to enjoy the delicious, fragrant fruit known as strawberries. Learn how to store, prepare, and cook strawberries and purchase the best ones.

It's worth waiting for the British season to eat strawberries at their most fragrant, juicy, and flavorful; if you want to eat them when they're at their ripest, pick-your-own is the ideal option.

Availability

Growing strawberries in the garden or a container on a sunny windowsill is simple; make sure to keep birds away from them when the fruits are ready!

Choose the best

Ideally, the berries should still have their lush green calyx and stalk attached, and they should be plump, lustrous, soft, brightly colored, and sweet-smelling. Steer clear of moldy or mushy fruit.

Make sure the underside of the punnet isn't soiled if you're purchasing one, as this indicates that the lowest level of berries has been smashed. Choose small to medium-sized strawberries instead of large ones because the latter tend to be less flavorful due to their higher water content.

Prepare it

Strawberries get mushy easily when they come into touch with water, so wash them immediately, and remove the hull (the calyx and stem; if the strawberries are fully ripe, this can be easily taken out; if not, cut them out), and then keep them whole, half, or quarter as needed.

Store it

To prevent them from crushing one another, place the strawberries on a dish covered with kitchen paper and keep them in the refrigerator. An hour before eating, remove them from the refrigerator to allow them to come to room temperature. They will go mushy if you wash them before putting them in the refrigerator. Consume within a few days of purchasing or harvesting.

Cook it

Serve fresh with ice cream or cream, or with a little balsamic vinegar on top. Include in fruit salads. Use to top puddings or to make jam or tarts.

Hey Lykkers! Isn’t it easy to pick strawberries? Take your family to the supermarket or strawberry farm to enjoy the fun and deliciousness of strawberries!