Strawberry Season..

Strawberry season has begun! For those of you love strawberries (like hubby and I) and live within the vicinity of a (strawberry) farm, go ahead and start picking your own strawberries! Hubby and I are planning to visit one of these farms soon. With one being just 10 minutes away, we still haven’t found the time to pick our own yet. =P Maybe we’ll arrange something this weekend with a couple friends! =)

Since strawberry are in season, let me share with you some articles I’ve come across in magazines. This article (Health Wise / The Terrific 10) is extracted from Bon Appetit Magazine June 2009; written by Daniel Duane. According to the article about Fresh Strawberries;

“When it comes to healthful eating, color is key. Scientist have found that brightly colored fruits and vegetables contain the highest levels of phytonutrients, powerful disease-fighting compounds. In the case of bright red strawberries, a study conducted at the University of Illinois found that the fruit may fight inflammation, cancer-causing compounds and may even be capable of suppressing the progression of tumors. Adding to the good news is a recent study published in the medical journal Metabolism that found that strawberries may help reduce bad cholesterol.”

Here are some strawberry tips extracted from Everyday Food Magazine June 2009;

“The Basics : Buy Strawberries that are bright red (with no white or green around the them), 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 of 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.”

Until, I hit the strawberry farm, I will have to stick to store bought strawberries which are also equally good. =) Besides eating my strawberries fresh, I have also dipped them in chocolate, blended with ice cream as a milk shake, blended with ice and juices as a smoothie, made strawberry shortcake and made jam. Have fun bending over and picking the reddest, juiciest, biggest strawberry! =) For those of you in Massachusetts, check out this listing of Strawberry Farms in MA. I have in previous years been to Tougas Family Farm @ Northboro (Worcester County) and http://parleefarms.com/ (Middlesex County).