They are grown and enjoyed all over the world. In Japan they are called Ichigo, and in France they are called Fraise. In Spain they are known as Fresa, and in Germany as Erdbeere. Every state in the United States and every province in Canada grow them. We call them strawberries, and now is prime season for this wonderful fruit.
Strawberries are thought to have been cultivated in ancient Rome. In France, strawberries were cultivated in the 13th Century for uses as a medicinal herb for fever, throat infections, kidney stones and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen. The first American species of strawberries was cultivated about 1835.
There is quite a bit of history and lore surrounding strawberries. The berries have always connoted purity, passion and healing. In Othello, Shakespeare decorated Desdemonda’s handkerchief with symbolic strawberries. The strawberry was a symbol for Venus, the Goddess of Love, because of its heart shapes and red color. Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, had a strawberry shaped birthmark on her neck. In provincial France, strawberries were regarded as an aphrodisiac of the highest quality and Newlyweds were served a soup of thinned sour cream, strawberries, borage and powdered sugar. Medieval stonemasons carved strawberry designs in altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals, symbolizing perfection and righteousness. Legend holds that if you break a double strawberry in half and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will soon fall in love with each other. The American Indians were already eating strawberries when the Colonists arrived. They were crushing the berries and mixing them with cornmeal, which they baked into strawberry bread. The Colonists developed their own version of the recipe and Strawberry Shortcake was created.
Strawberries are a member of the rose family, and are the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than on the inside. California produces 75 percent of the nations strawberry crops with peak quality and supply from March to May. Florida is second in production. It is said that if all the strawberries produced in California in a year were laid berry to berry, they would wrap around the world 15 times. Twenty-three thousand acres of strawberries are planted in California each year producing one billion pounds of strawberries. Ninety-four percent of United States households consume strawberries. Over 53 percent of seven to nine year olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit, and eight strawberries will provide 140 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids.
There are more than 600 different varieties of strawberries. The three types of strawberries grown around St. Louis are June bearing or spring bearing, everbearing, and day neutral. Strawberries are among the most widely grown fruit in the home garden. Everbearing and day neutral strawberries are great for gardeners who have limited space. They can be grown in terraced beds, barrels or pyramids. They can also be used as an edging plant or groundcover. The strawberry grows close to the ground on the stem in groups of three. The greenish white fruits turn to a rich red color when they ripen. The plants do not normally reproduce by seeds. When the fruit is developing, the plant sends out slender growths called runners, which look like strings. They grow on the ground and send out roots in the soil. The roots produce new plants, which grow and bear fruit.
Strawberries can be planted in any soil, but the richer the soil, the larger the crop. Plant strawberries as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Planting in March and April allows the plant to become well established before the hot weather arrives. Strawberry plants need full sun for the highest yields, about 6 hours per day. Do not plant strawberries where peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes have grown. These plants could harbor a serious strawberry disease. Strawberries need about one inch of water per week. To plant strawberries, set the plant in soil so that the soil is just covering the tops of the roots. Do not cover the crown. After four or five weeks, the plants will produce runners and new daughter plants.
If you choose to pick your own strawberries, select plump, firm, fully red berries. The small berries are usually the most flavorful. Cool the berries as soon as possible after picking. Strawberries can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for about three days. Store unwashed berries loosely covered with plastic wrap in the coldest part of your refrigerator. To keep the berries from absorbing large quantities of water, hull after washing. If you choose to purchase strawberries at the store, visually check each package, making sure there are no signs of mold growth. If one berry is molded, mold spores will have traveled throughout the entire package.
Strawberries can be frozen for future use. To freeze without sugar, fill freezer containers with prepared sliced, or washed and dried berries to within on-half inch of the top. Combine 4 cups of cold water with one 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice and pour over berries before sealing the container and freezing. To freeze in a sugar syrup, prepare the berries in the same way in a freezer container and combine 4 cups of cold water and 4 cups of sugar. Stir to dissolve and pour over berries, seal container and freeze.
There are several u-pick strawberry patches in the St. Louis region. Drive in any direction from the city and you will undoubtedly run into a farm or signs pointing to one. Some measurements to remember when cooking with strawberries are; one and one-half pounds of strawberries equals two pints or one quart, one small basket equals one pint, and one cup equals about four ounces. Whether you pick your own strawberries this season or buy them at the store, try these delicious recipes, share with friends, and especially the kids. Summer just wouldn’t be the same without strawberries.
This article appears in March 2024.