If you ask ten people at random to name their favorite berry, eight of them will say, “strawberries of course.” And who’s to argue? In the height of Northwest strawberry season, it’s hard to imagine anything tasting better than these juicy, incredibly sweet, powerfully flavorful berries. They are simply perfection.
Strawberries seem to benefit most from the climate of the Northwest. Our local varieties are chosen not so much for their ability to ship well but for their flavor. They are usually not as large or as glamorous looking as California strawberries, but their intense red color is a near guarantee that they were picked fully ripe and will taste as nature intended.
Season
Commercial strawberry growers have timed their selections to ripen at about the same time that kids are released from school, thus insuring themselves an adequate supply of pickers. So the commercial season begins around June 1st, depending on the weather, and ends around July 15th. Gardeners can extend the season considerably by planting continual and late bearing varieties.
Selection
Northwest strawberry varieties are more perishable that those shipped in from out of state. They are fully juicy and will turn to mush if handled roughly. Look for bright red berries with no signs of oozing. Conversely, avoid shriveled berries or any with dry, browning stems. The fragrance of ripe berries should be discernible. Pick them yourself if at all possible or buy them from a local grower. Above all, make sure that you are purchasing Northwest berries. Grocery stores sometimes carry non-local berries even after local berries are available.
Varieties encountered at Portland Farmers Market in early June of 2009 were Hood (sweetest, highly perishable, very short season), Seascape, and Honeoye. Additional varieties will arrive as the season progresses.
Storage
Refrigerate strawberries, covered with plastic wrap, as soon as you get them home. Do not wash or hull them until shortly before you intend to eat them. If they are very fresh, they will keep from two to five days.
Preparation
Rinse strawberries under cold running water, and then remove the stem and hull in one operation. The easiest way I have found to do this is to use a curved grapefruit knife; insert the knife along the edge of the stem, then change the angle somewhat and lift it out along with the stem and hull.
Cooking
There’s strawberry jam and strawberry sauce and even strawberry soup, but if you really want to eat strawberries at their best, eat them raw.
Great Partners
Almonds, anise, apricots, balsamic vinegar, bananas, basil, Beaujolais, black currant, black pepper, Brie, brown sugar, caramel, celery, Champagne, cinnamon, Cointreau, cream, coconut, cognac, cream cheese, crème fraîche, Curacao, camembert, cherry, chocolate (dark and white), coffee, cranberry, egg, fig, Grand Marnier, grapefruit, guava, Kirsch, honey, kiwi, lemon, lettuce, licorice, lime, mango, maple syrup, mascarpone, mint, orange, parmesan, passion fruit, peach, pineapple, port, raspberry, rhubarb, sambuca, sherry, sour cream, star fruit, tequila, toast, vanilla, and yogurt.
Additional Pairings
LunaCafe Recipes
- Chocolate Shortcake with White Chocolate Crema, Strawberry Lime Sauce & Strawberry Lime Salsa
- Fresh Strawberry-Tomato Dessert Sauce
- Fried Banana Split with Mexican Chocolate Sauce & Strawberry Lime Salsa
- Kicky Tomato Strawberry Gazpacho
- Lemon & Thyme Marinated Artichoke, Tiger Prawn & Strawberry Salad
- Prawn & Strawberry Salad with Fresh Herb Panna Cotta
- Rhubarb Rose Petal Caramel Syrup + 4 Variations
- Strawberry Basil Sour Cream Gelato
- Strawberry and Shrimp Salad with Honey Mint Vinaigrette (PNP)
- Chocolate Strawberries (PNP)
- Crimson Rhubarb Mouse with Strawberry Gin Sauce (PNP)
- Rhubarb Strawberry Parfait (PNP)
- Strawberries & Honey (PNP)
- Strawberries in Wine (PNP)
- Strawberries with Liqueur (PNP)
- Strawberries with Orange (PNP)
- Strawberries: American Method (PNP)
- Strawberries: French Method (PNP)
- Strawberry Crème Brulée (PNP)
- Strawberry Fool (PNP)
NOTE PNP = Pacific Northwest Palate: Four Seasons of Great Cooking
Resources
- 2009 Berry Health Benefits Symposium
- Heart of Washington Strawberries
- Honeoye Strawberry
- Hood Strawberry
- Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission
- Oregon Strawberries on Twitter: OR_Strawberry
- Oregon Strawberry Commission
- Oregon Strawberry Varieties
- Seascape Strawberry
- Strawberry Varieties
- Strawberry Varieties Comparison Chart
- Sweeter Redder, Simply Better
- Washington Farms Strawberry Picking Tips
- Washington State Horticultural Association
- Washington Red Raspberry Commission
About Susan S. Bradley
Home grown strawberries are even better than the varieties bought in the grocery store or farmer’s market because you get to control the conditions they are grown under. Plus, you can ensure that there are no pesticides used.
Bill Brikiatis´s last [type] ..Transplanting Strawberries
Bill, agree, plus they are so pretty in the garden.
While Texas is not known for our strawberries, those grown locally do taste REALLY great! I can’t wait until they’re in the farmer’s markets!
.-= Alta´s last blog ..Kids in the Kitchen: Fried Ice Cream =-.
Aloha! Yum, I can almost eat the strawberries off the screen! We have an organic grower down there that specializes in strawberries that are beyond compare. I can’t wait for our market to begin on the 19 because I have a whole host of recipes lined up for those nuggets. I think I will try your Crimson Rhubarb Mouse with Strawberry Gin Sauce first. Take care!
Dana Zia
[rq=3943,0,blog][/rq]The Most Devilish Cookies
Hi Dana! I’m having difficulty leaving rhubarb behind and moving into strawberry land. But the strawberries are so luscious, I must make the leap this weekend. Thanks for stopping by!
Great tips! Strawberries are my favorite too. I thankfully have about 30 plants in my backyard so this time of year it is an endless stream of grabbing them and munching away.
Jeff´s last blog post..The Little Brioche that almost rose
What a great post! The strawberries look beautiful!
pigpigscorner´s last blog post..Simple Spicy Anchovies
Thanks so much!
I love strawberries, great info!
Maria´s last blog post..Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Spinach, and Portobello Mushrooms
Strawberries have always been my husband’s favorite but the first time he tasted a “real” one (not from Chile in January), his eyes rolled back. I am so excited for their season!
Dana´s last blog post..Not How It’s Supposed to Be
What a GREAT post, Susan. I’m just going to have to borrow this link for the Strawberry Thanksgiving post I did. Thanks for sharing…
Louise´s last blog post..Have a Strawberry Thanksgiving
Your photos are delicious! I just made my first strawberry concoction of the season today, strawberry lemonade bars. I’m so excited that it’s strawberry season!
Amy I.´s last blog post..Strawberry Lemonade Bars
Thank you!