The best way to keep strawberries is to flash freeze them whole after stemming them. You can do this with any berry such as raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Buy the freshest strawberries you can from either a local farm or farmers market. The fresher the better!
Packed with vitamins, fiber, and particularly high levels of antioxidants known as
polyphenols, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food. They are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. Just one serving -- about eight strawberries -- provides more vitamin C than an orange. This member of the rose family isn’t really a fruit or a berry but the enlarged receptacle of the flower. Choose medium-sized berries that are firm, plump, and deep red; once picked, they don’t ripen further. First cultivated in ancient Rome, strawberries are now the most popular berry fruit in the world. In provincial France, they were regarded as an aphrodisiac. These red gems may be good for your heart in more ways than one. (Web Md)
Fun Facts!
- Over 53 percent of seven to nine year old's picked strawberries as their favorite fruit.
- Eight strawberries will provide 140 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids.
- Native forms of strawberries adapt to various climates and are indigenous to every major continent except Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
- The fruit size of the very early strawberries was very small.
- Seventy per cent of a strawberry's roots are located in the top three inches of soil.
- Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
- One cup of strawberries is only 55 calories.
- There is a museum in Belgium just for strawberries.
- Strawberries are a member of the rose family.
- The flavor of a strawberry is influenced by weather, the variety and stage of ripeness when harvested.
- On average, there are 200 seeds in a strawberry.
- Ninety-four per cent of United States households consume strawberries.
- According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the annual per capita consumption of fresh and frozen strawberries is 4.85 pounds.
- Strawberries are grown in every state in the United States and every province of Canada.
Wash them well if not organic and spread out on baking sheet
Tip - Use this vinegar wash if desired.
When ready to use, thaw partially, then slice and allow to completely thaw
Ready to use on strawberry shortcake or other recipes
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| Strawberry Cream Delight |
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| Whipped Strawberry Dessert |
Enjoy,
Mary
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