Local berries, fresh from the farmers market; still warm from the sun of the day are just so soul satisfying. Far superior to those cardboard berries we get all winter, it’s hard to believe we even bother!
The downside to these little babies is that they just don’t last. You need to eat them within a day or two of scooping them up. Now is a great time to start freezing them and doing them individually on a sheet pan after you wash them is the most efficient way. Give them a good rinse and let them air dry…transfer them to a sheet pan and pop them directly into the freezer. When the berries are individually frozen solid you can transfer them to zip bags or plastic tubs for long term storage. When you’re ready to use them they aren’t all squished and stuck together…as Martha would say “it’s a good thing”. Maybe you ran out of days in your week and find yourself with a basket or two of berries that are just a bit too ripe for what you had in mind. No problem ! Pop them into the blender with a splash of orange or lemon juice and a spoon or two of sugar. Give them a whiz and freeze the puree in clean yogurt tubs so you can add them to your smoothies or transform them into a delicious syrup or maybe even a Daiquiri !
We like to infuse our own Vodka with Fresh Strawberries, it’s perfect for summer cocktails.
Give it a try, you will be making the best strawberry martinis in town!
Here’s how…
Wash your peak of the season fresh strawberries thoroughly. Slice then and remove all of the stems. Put about 14 thinly sliced fresh berries into a large pitcher and pour over 1 x 750 ml of your favourite vodka. Cover the pitcher with a tight fitting top or plastic wrap.
Place the container in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator for 7 days. Agitate the pitcher daily to recombine the vodka and berries.
Strain the fresh strawberries out of the vodka with a very fine sieve, catching the infused vodka in a clean 750 ml bottle (you can use the same one you emptied when you started) Place a label on the bottle and store it in the freezer so it is ice cold when you are ready to add it to your cocktails. The first few batches you make may not be perfect but practice and try some new flavours; you will soon get the hang of it.
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About the Author:
Angie Quaale is the owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store and cooking school in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Well Sesaoned is been the destination location for all things gourmet. Angie travels the world sourcing the best gourmet foods and recipes and is an advocate of local farmers and food producers. Angie\’s column, \”Food for Thought\” appears twice a month in the Langley Times. She\’s also regularly featured in print articles, television and radio programs throughout Canada.
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