It's Strawberry Season!

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher May 10, 2007

If you've never tried a real, fresh strawberry -- one that was picked from your own garden or a farm -- then you owe it to yourself to go strawberry picking this spring. In the Southern U.S. and California, strawberry season begins in April. In the North, it begins in late May and early June.

Fresh strawberries are nothing like their store-bought counterparts, most of which are underripe (you can tell because they're white inside) and tasteless. Fresh strawberries are a deep red color throughout, and they're melt-in-your-mouth sweet.

You can find farms that let you pick strawberries at Pick Your Own.Org. The site has a database of farms, searchable by state.

What to do with your harvest? Try these great strawberry recipes:

• Chocolate Covered Strawberries -- Decadent and delicious!
• Strawberry Scones -- Light and flaky biscuits that are perfect for breakfast.
• Chocolate Strawberry Tarts -- A refreshing summer dessert that takes just minutes to prepare.
• Strawberry Smoothies -- Freeze your fresh strawberries, then whip them up in this delicious smoothie when strawberry season is but a distant memory.
• Berry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies -- A unique oatmeal cookie recipe using fresh strawberries and dark chocolate chips.
• Strawberry Bread with Cream -- Not a typical strawberry bread recipe, this is a yeast bread that can be made in the bread machine.
• Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar -- Simple, yet flavorful recipe that's perfect when strawberries are in season.

Remember, just because the strawberries are fresh doesn't necessarily mean they're organic (grown without pesticides). So be sure to wash your strawberries thoroughly before eating them.