Strawberries A Love Story
Strawberry. To me the word conjures up visions of luscious red heart-shaped fruits, with an unforgettable sweet tart flavor. And it is the delectable fragrant aroma of strawberries that always stops me in my tracks. Not surprising, when you consider that strawberries are actually members of the rose family— Rosaceae—and the Latin name for the original wild strawberry is Fragaria vesca.
Oddly enough, the strawberry is not classified as an actual berry. Because the seeds are on the outside of the fruit, each seed is considered a berry. But they are delicious, whatever they are called!
Wild strawberries were first mentioned in early Roman literature, as both an ornamental fruit and a medicine—apparently, they were used to cure everything from bad breath to melancholia. The fruit is even a symbol for Venus, the goddess of love.
Wild variants are also native to the Americas and can still be found growing in the nearby hills. The berries cultivated by Indigenous People on the East Coast were introduced to New World settlers as a fruit baked with corn flour. This recipe became the foundation for our modern-day strawberry shortcake.
No matter how much we rhapsodize about strawberries, they are serious business, especially on the West Coast. California currently grows 88% of the strawberries sold in the United States and these luscious berries have been the top crop in Ventura County for several years.
When you are looking at berries at the market, or at fruit stands like The Abundant Table in Camarillo, you should look for a vibrant red fruit with yellow-colored seeds that smells sweet. Strawberries don’t really ripen after being picked so use them right away or refrigerate them. Many farmers cool the berries to 35° after they have been harvested, so they arrive fresh at the market and won’t get moldy the next day.
Don’t be afraid to experiment when it comes to strawberries. While always popular for dessert, not-quite-ripe strawberries are nice in salads for their firm texture and tartness. When you have overly ripe strawberries, try them in smoothies, margaritas and daiquiris.
Firm, tart strawberries are great in salsa, paired with jalapeños and mangos. They are also tasty by themselves with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. And you can also make a strawberry soup by blending strawberries with orange juice, plain yogurt and a little mint. Try grilling strawberries wrapped in pancetta and drizzled with balsamic syrup for a delicious appetizer.
Strawberries pair well with basil and you can even make a pasta sauce with strawberries and tomatoes. Just use some extra red pepper to counter the sweetness, and ricotta cheese is a good match as well. And you can’t go wrong with strawberries and champagne. If you put them in a tall glass with ice cream and float the sparkling wine on top, it is a fantastic adult-tasting float.
The following strawberry recipes by Julia San Bartolome explore both new and old combinations of flavors. Enjoy them alone or as a seasonal Sunday brunch.
