Eating With the Seasons: Strawberry Guide

It's a "berry" good time of year to be a locavore, so why not make the strawberry season even sweeter? Here are a few strawberry tips and dessert recipes from , in Germantown:

Food Value: Strawberries are a great source of Vitamin C and have only 53 calories per cup of fresh berries.

 Proper care: If you will not be eating strawberries immediately, leave the caps on. This will conserve moisture and the berries will keep longer. Wash the berries only when you are ready to use them. Refrigerate your berries.

Freezing Strawberries: Use only firm, ripe berries and freeze right away. Sort, submerge in cold water, and agitate gently to chill and wash.  Drain, remove caps, and slice. Cover 7 cups of strawberries with 1 cup sugar, or more if you like.  Mix gently until some juice is drawn from the fruit and most sugar is dissolved. Try not to crush the berries. Pack berries and juice into containers or freezer bags, leaving an inch of space at the top. Label, date and freeze.

 Defrosting strawberries: Strawberries can be defrosted in the refrigerator, or in a warm water bath.

Fresh Strawberry-Glazed Pie

3 1/2 cups (1 quart ) fresh, hulled strawberries 
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
9-inch baked pie shell

Mash one cup of berries and set aside. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and clear, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add mashed fruit for color. Cut the remaining berries in half and place in a 9-inch baked pie shell. Pour the glaze over berries and chill. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and whole berries.

Butler’s Giant Short Cake

1 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup milk
Whipped cream

Slice the berries and sprinkle them with 1 cup of sugar. Let the berries stand for one hour. Heat oven to 450. Grease a 9-inch round layer pan. Measure the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like meal. Stir in the milk until just blended. Pat mixture into the pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Split the cake while it’s warm, spread  with butter, and fill and top it with berries and whipped cream.