by Stacey Forbes

Yaaaaay, it’s local strawberry time! The only trouble: there aren’t enough district growers to supply our voracious appetites for the beloved berry. Let’s beg them to grow more. I have succumbed to purchasing one box of un-local strawberries to get the juices flowing on my continuous regional search. And in preparation for next year, have inserted, into my recently amended garden soil, twenty strawberry plantlets. As it is their first year, I was to pick off all the berries—I have been dutiful -and regrettably counted all 87 of the sacrificial buds. But next year…

For your first truly ripe berries of the season, there is only one choice of preparation: eat them straight off their stems, juices dripping. When the excitement of ‘au naturale’ wanes, slice the cored berries in half lengthwise, add a few drops of lemon juice, (or excellent balsamic vinegar), a decent sprinkle of white organic sugar, and a gentle toss. Let sit at room temperature for an hour and serve without adornment.

For an unpretentious, but luscious, dessert find the last of the pink stems of tart rhubarb selling at the Open Air Market. Cut them into chunks, gently tenderize them along with a small scoop of sugar in a saucepan over medium flame until they yield to a blunt knife; cool. Fold rhubarb gingerly with a similar amount of fresh berries done in the macerating-style above and alternate with softly whipped, organic cream in a tall-stemmed glass.

Savour this delightful short visit from the strawberry in its finest hour and happily anticipate forthcoming seasonal gems.

Stacey Forbes is a former chef and a cooking teacher; to add to her field of interest, she is now discovering an intense interest in sustainable food gardens.