Hoorah… the strawberries are back on our supermarket shelves and don’t they just taste so delicious. Even though officially strawberry season started back in May, the sun is coming out a bit more in June and July meaning that everybody are lighting up their Barbie’s making these months the most popular time for the fruit to be consumed. And as we all know this juicy, sweet and succulent fruit is a perfect partner with a great British Barbeque served with some nice and refreshing whipped cream.
The mild temperatures of May, along with the longer days and more sunshine makes it the perfect time of the year for strawberries to grow. The seasons nowadays are much more ‘fruitful’ than in past generations due to advancements in varieties, which means that British consumers have many different British berries to choose from that have been developed to suit the UK climate.
Two particular strawberries to look out for are the “Sweet Eve” or “Eve’s delight”, both of which are high in natural sugars. This gives them a beautiful aroma and for an added bonus they have a long shelf life making them great value for money.
Strawberries were first talked about back in the Roman times, around 200 BC when they were used for medicinal purposes. Then in medieval Britain, strawberries were traditionally consumed as the breakfast for newly married couples. The heart shaped fruit symbolised passion and purity making them very romantic indeed.
Although they are popularly served with cream, the possibilities of what you can do with your strawberries are endless. For instance, why not try making a summer fruits cheesecake, jam, a tart or even a good old smoothie. Don’t be boring with your fruit, do something new, exciting and adventurous!
Moreover, they do not just tickle our taste buds but actually make us feel happier just thinking about them. This was apparently concluded from a survey taken at a university in the south of England, which found that eighty-six percent of people that were asked, felt more relaxed just thinking about eating one. This is no doubt due to the fact that thinking about the distinctive smell of strawberries, evokes a lot of happy memories.
I’m sure all this talk of one of the most loved fruits has got your mouth watering, so make sure you get your strawberry fix this year, because summer is not the same without them.
