The Basics
Buy strawberries that are bright red (with no white or green around the stem), fragrant, and plump, with no soft spots.

To Store
If using right away, it's best not to refrigerate them. Otherwise, lay the berries flat on a paper-towel-lined plate and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Do not rinse or hull until ready to use.

To Use
Strawberries are delicious raw in a range of desserts and sweet treats. Because they are sensitive to heat, the berries are rarely cooked except when used in jams and pies.

Recipes
Strawberry Icebox Pie
Quick Strawberry Jam

Ideas for Jam

• Stir into yogurt, cottage cheese, or hot cereal.
• Use as a topping for ice cream.
• Sandwich between sugar cookies.
• Fold into whipped cream and layer with more jam for a quick parfait.
• For a quick breakfast or snack, toast slices of country-style bread and top with ricotta cheese and a dollop of jam.

More Strawberry Ideas
Strawberry Shake
Blend strawberries with ice cream to make a shake, or ice and plain yogurt to make a smoothie.

Strawberry Tart
Fill a baked store-bought tart shell with sweetened mascarpone cheese. Top with strawberries macerated with sugar and a drizzle of an orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier.

Strawberry Butter
Finely chop strawberries and stir into softened butter. Serve with warm scones, bread, or muffins.

Strawberry Layer Cake
Cover vanilla cake layers with lemon curd or whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Strawberries go well with:

• Balsamic vinegar
• Basil
• Tarragon
• Mint
• Bananas
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Granulated or brown sugar
• Honey
• Caramel
• Red or sparkling wine
• Chocolate
• Macaroons
• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Cream
• Farmer cheese