Get our newsletters
Susan S. Yeske: Recipe of the Week

The sweetest strawberries are here

Posted

The sweetest season has arrived for strawberry fans.
From late May through the first weeks of June this favorite crop puts the store-bought varieties to shame with its intense flavor and freshness.

Red all the way through, local strawberries are full of nutrition and have a low carbon footprint. Thanks to weeks of mostly dry weather and no late frosts, it’s also an especially fruitful crop this season.

For those who like to pick their own, they can be found at farms throughout Bucks County. Those include None Such Farm in Buckingham, Penn Vermont Fruit Farm in Bedminster, Brumbaugh’s Farm in Telford and Solly Brothers’ Farm in Ivyland. Most of the farms were scheduled to be open for pick-your-own this week, but just to be sure, check the farm’s Facebook pages or call for hours and updates.
While all local farms are practicing social distancing, Hellerick’s Family Farm outside Doylestown is asking pick-your-own customers to book a visit online at hellericksfarm.com and sign a waiver. They also are allowing pick-your-own sugar snap peas.

Terhune Orchards outside Princeton, N.J., also has pick-your-own and pre-picked berries.

Local strawberries also can be found at farm markets including Wrightstown Farmers Market and Doylestown Farmers Market. Area farms that sell strawberries in their farm stores include Manoff Market Gardens in Solebury, Trauger’s Farm Market in Kintnersville, Rick’s Egg Farm in Kintnersville, Tabora Farm & Orchard in Chalfront, Milk House Farm near Washington Crossing, and Shady Brook Farms outside Newtown.

While strawberries may seem like a guilty pleasure, rest assured that they are good for you. Fat-free, they have vitamins C and B-6, potassium, calcium and fiber and a full cup of strawberry halves contains only 49 calories.

However you enjoy them, get them soon because the season is brief. Of course, after strawberries comes blueberry season.
After you eat lots of bowls of fresh strawberries in cream, you might be looking for another sweet way to serve them. This recipe is from tasteofhome.com:

Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Whipped cream, optional

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil or parchment. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Refrigerate until slightly cooled, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, arrange strawberries in the crust. Pour gelatin mixture over berries. Refrigerate until set. If desired, serve with whipped cream.

Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.


X