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Of course, Strawberry is sold in mid-January, but then it is just a bright spot, and not the summer aroma and taste familiar to everyone. The best strawberries only appear in summer. When buying, the size of the berry does not matter much, it does not correlate in any way with the sweetness of the strawberry.
How to choose the best strawberries
If you buy strawberries from a farmers’ market, be sure to smell and taste them. If you buy from a store, be guided by color. The bright, even red color of the berries indicates that the strawberries are ripe. Also, each berry should be moderately dry and shiny.
Then look at the “cup”. She must be! Berries without leaves spoil faster and, perhaps, were collected in a hurry. Green and fresh “cups” are good; brown, withered and shriveled – bad. Some gardeners believe that if there is a distance between the green leaves and the berry, the strawberry will be sweet. If the leaves are tightly attached to the berry, the sweetness of the berry is not guaranteed.
Which variety of June strawberries to choose
We have selected 9 popular varieties of strawberries that ripen in June.
Vima Zanta. Begins to bear fruit very early, already at the beginning of June. Berries up to 40 g, beautifully shaped, but a little loose. Very rich sweet taste and delicate aroma. Well suited for homework.
Deroyal. Berries 30-50 g, sweet, firm and shiny. They are distinguished by excellent strawberry taste and strong pleasant aroma, as well as the same size of berries: even in the last collection of small berries there are very few small berries.
Kamaroza. Berries of excellent quality: beautiful, dense, juicy, very sweet, with a characteristic strawberry flavor.
Kent. The berries are beautiful, firm and sweet even when ripe in cloudy weather. They are well stored, do not wrinkle during transportation. Well suited for jam and other preservation.
Kimberly. Berries up to 50 g, heart-shaped, dense and weighty, without voids in the middle. The sweet, “caramel” flavor is one of the most sugary varieties.
Crown. Medium to large berries, usually about 30 g, are distinguished by a rich red color and a regular conical shape. Sweet and quite aromatic, with a delicate skin.
Susie. The berries are usually 30 g each, leveled, dense, sweet with a pleasant sourness and light aroma, scarlet in color. They are good fresh and for processing. Stores well and is suitable for freezing.
Lambada. Berries up to 20 g, juicy, tender, with a strong aroma, uniform in size. The sugar content is higher than the average of other varieties.
Tago. The berries are large (up to 70 g), red, the flesh is well colored, dark, sweet – very beautiful jams and compotes are obtained from the fruits. Ripen in late June and early July.
How to keep strawberries fresh
Have you bought or collected strawberries? Bring it home quickly and remove any broken barrels or just crumpled berries. How to use strawberry non-liquid, read below.
The remaining berries, without washing or removing the “cups”, put them in the refrigerator, but they can also be stored there for just a couple of days.
- If you washed the berries and removed the cups, immediately send them either into your mouth, or use them to prepare interesting dishes. If you like sugar-filled strawberries, it’s time to sprinkle the berries with fine sugar.
- If you are storing berries in the refrigerator, remove them in 20-30 minutes. before use. Berries at room temperature reveal their taste and aroma better.
How to use strawberry non-liquid
1. Sauces Whisk the strawberries in a blender bowl, adding a little vanilla if desired. Or, for more flavor and aroma, use this trick: put the berries in a heat-resistant bowl, sprinkle with a little sugar, tighten the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a steam bath. The heat will help concentrate the aroma.
Use the resulting sauce when serving pancakes, waffles, cheesecakes, ice cream. Freeze it for a fruity sorbet. Add a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar to turn the sauce into a salad dressing or steak marinade.
2. Fillings for pies. Remember the berries with a crush, beat very quickly in a blender or chop finely. You get the filling for pies, pies or tarts. Or, heat the strawberry mass in a saucepan and serve with whipped cream.
3. Smoothies and other drinks. Prepare smoothies and milkshakes actively, a lot and selflessly. In hot weather, beat the berries in a blender with ice, adding honey, sugar syrup, or just iced tea. You can mix berry puree with champagne or rose wine, strain, add a couple of ice cubes and a wonderful summer cocktail is ready.
4. Dough. Ripe bananas are great for making breads and muffins. Use strawberries and dough to make the dough. Puree overripe berries and add to butter or pancake dough.
5. Freezing. Freeze strong strawberries. To do this, remove the cups, rinse the strawberries and gently blot – better, each berry – dry. Line a flat container with baking paper, arrange the berries in one layer and put them in the freezer. Once the berries are firm, transfer them to bags or containers. In this form, they will be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and will definitely be tastier than any fresh strawberry bought in January.
And, of course, make preserves and jams from strawberries!