Choose organic strawberries, if you can, as non-organic strawberries can be quite pesticide-laden. Some cooks believe smaller strawberries have more flavor due to a higher concentration of sugars.
If you plan to freeze your strawberries, wash them first. Strawberries can become mushy if they are under water too long. A quicker rinse will help them keep their firm texture. Rinse non-organic strawberries more thoroughly and consider using a drop of mild dish soap or white vinegar to clean them.
The more moisture strawberries soak up, the more mushy the texture will be.
The stem of a strawberry keeps it fresher for longer. Only remove it when you are ready to eat the strawberry.
After around 24 hours, strawberries will get moldy at room temperature.
Some strawberries will last a little shorter or longer in the fridge. Check the strawberries for mold before using them.
The vinegar kills spores that form mold on strawberries. Strawberries can last up to a couple of weeks using this method. You won’t need to rinse your strawberries again when you are ready to eat them if you soak them in vinegar.
If you frequently buy berries, only to have them go bad the next day in the fridge, try this method. You won’t need to rinse your strawberries again when you are ready to eat them if you use a heat bath.
Frozen strawberries are good for smoothies, pies, cobblers, crisps, and compotes. To help the strawberries freeze faster, slice them into halves or quarters. It’s also much easier to cut fresh strawberries than frozen strawberries.
Try adding frozen strawberries to smoothies, oatmeal, or cakes. Frozen strawberries are usually good for about 6 months.
You can also add in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) or so of honey if the smoothie isn’t sweet enough, or 1 tsp (3 g) of chia seeds to thicken and add fiber to the smoothie. Add a spoonful of nut butter for more protein. You can also use fresh strawberries in smoothies along with 3-4 ice cubes.
For a variation, try using white chocolate or add sprinkles or nuts while the chocolate is still wet.
To go the extra mile, make the shortcake and the whipped cream by hand.
You can also add plain, sliced strawberries to a salad.
You can also add different berries, or use maple syrup instead of honey.
You can also add the sliced strawberries directly into the pancake mix, if you prefer. Add about 1 cup (200 g). Add to the strawberry flavor by using strawberry yogurt instead of plain. You can also use frozen strawberries in your pancake batter if you don’t have any fresh.
Try this with sparkling water to add a little carbonation.
This recipe will make around 40 fluid ounces (1. 2 L) of jam, so it’s useful to have at least 3 16-ounce (. 5 L) mason jars with lids sterilized and ready to store the jam in. This makes an excellent gift if you can’t eat all the jam yourself.
