Market Fresh: Strawberries

The Flavour
Sweet, soft and sensual – the classic berry of summer.

Strawberry Goes Well With...
Other berries; chocolate; almonds and walnuts; balsamic vinegar; champagne; custard; heavy cream, sour cream and whipped cream; lemon; melon; kirsch; mint; black pepper; mascarpone cheese; cucumber.

Buying & Storing Tips
Though available all year round, the most flavourful are available now (end of spring, early summer), from local producers. Bigger doesn’t mean better – reach for small, ruby red and fragrant. Buy those that are unblemished, bright and plump. If buying by the carton, check out the lower levels for signs of rot – a bit of rot can affect the lot.

Preparing & Using Strawberries

• Eat within a few days of purchase. Serve at room temperature.
• Do not refrigerate.
• When ready to eat, wash briefly and blot with paper towel before hulling.
• Freeze whole or puréed.
• Delicious raw or cooked.

Nutrition Info
Contain vitamins B3, B5 and C, as well as antioxidant flavonoids.

The Tool
Strawberries need little more than a quick rinse and hulling, but forget the knife and chopping board. The round, crown end of this Seed and Stem Remover gets rid of strawberry leaves cleanly, in one scoop. Use the small scoop to seed tomatoes and stem mushrooms as well. The other, elongated end is great for seeding peppers and large fruit like melon and papaya. One tool, many uses, no nicking of fingers.

Seed and Stem Remover, $6, Progressive International, progressiveintl.com.

Next week in Market to Table: Morels

Market to Table is a weekly column reporting on all things fresh in stores and farmers' markets now. Check in with us every Monday to find out what fresh and local produce you should be grocery shopping for each week.