Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries

International Names of the Strawberry
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Cantonese --> See Daw Beh Lay -_-""
Dutch --> Aardbei
Hawaiian --> Ohelo-papa
Italian --> Fragola
Japanese --> Ichigo
Korean --> Dial Kee

Strawberry Historical Facts
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*~ Strawberries are thought to have been cultivated in ancient Rome.

*~ The strawberry, as we know it, was originally grown in northern Europe, but species are also found in Russia, Chile, and the United States.

*~ The berries seem to be strewn among the leaves of the plant. The plant first had the name strewberry, which later was changed to strawberry.

*~ In France strawberries were cultivated in the 13th Century for useas a medicinal herb.

*~ Historical Medicinal Uses of Fragaria Vesca (Alpine Strawberry):
It is said that the leaves, roots and fruits of this variety of strawberry were used for a digestive or skin tonic. Internally, the berry was used for diarrhoea and digestive upset, while the leaves and the roots were used for gout. Externally, it was used for sunburn and skin blemishes, and the fruit juice was used for discoloured teeth.

*~ The first American species of strawberries was cultivated about 1835.

*~ The first important American variety, the Hoveg, was grown in 1834, in Massachusetts. The hybrid variety was developed in France.

*~ The strawberry is considered one of the most important small fruits grown in the Western Hemisphere. Today every state in the United States and every province in Canada grows the strawberry plant.

Strawberry Horticultural Facts
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*~ The strawberry is a small plant of the Rosaceae (Rose) family. All varieties of the strawberry plant belong to the Fragaria genus.
It grows both as a wild plant and as a cultivated plant.

*~ Some strawberries, called everbearing, produce berries throughout the summer and fall.

*~ Strawberry plants can be planted in any garden soil. But the richer the soil, the larger the crop. The plant grows best in a cool, moist climate and does not do well in warm temperatures. The plants may be planted in the spring or fall, but if the temperature is too cold, fall planting requires a great deal of care.

*~ The strawberry grows close to the ground on the stem in groups of three. The greenish white fruits turn to a rich red colour when they ripen. When the strawberry ripens, the petals of the flower fall off and all that remains is the calyx, a leafy substance shaped like a star. Not every flower produces fruit.

*~ Strawberries are not really berries or fruit in the "botanical" sense (i.e., the end result of a fertilized plant ovum). A strawberry is actually an "aggregate fruit" -- the "real" fruit are the objects we think of as the "strawberry seed" -- properly called "achenes" -- which are fruits in the same way that a raw sunflower seed with it's tough shell is a fruit. The "berry" is actually an "enlarged receptacle" and is not reproductive material. As a result, strawberries must be picked at full ripeness, as they cannot not ripen once picked.

*~ The strawberry plant has seeds on the outside skin rather than having an outer skin around the seed, as most berries do. They do not however, normally reproduce by seeds. When the fruit is developing, the plant sends out slender growths called runners. These 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. Sometimes these plants are taken from the soil and replanted to start a new plantation of strawberry plants.

Strawberry Kitchen Hints
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What To Look For When Buying Strawberries

The best strawberries are the ones you pick yourself or buy from your local strawberry fields. Farm fresh strawberries are hours old with little or no handling and no travelling. Enjoy the flavour and fragrance of fresh-picked strawberries. Look for plump, bright red and fully ripe berries. Caps should be attached green and fresh looking. The size of the strawberry is not important. All strawberries, large and small, are equally sweet and juicy.

When To Buy Strawberries

Choose locally grown strawberries during the harvesting session, they will be the freshest and the most flavourful. When picking strawberries, try to pick early in the morning or later in the day when the fruit is cool. Strawberries are best used within 2-3 days of picking. Cover and store them unwashed in the refrigerator. Do not crowd or press.

How To Store Fresh Strawberries

Sort and remove any bruised or damaged berries as soon as possible and use in sauces, purées or jams. Place the berries in cool, well ventilated containers (32 to 40°F / 0 to 5°C). The moisture content of Fresh Strawberries is high, so store uncovered or loosely covered. Hull strawberries and rinse gently JUST before serving. Careful storing and handling will maintain their maximum flavour, colour and texture.

How To Stop Strawberries from Absorbing Too Much Water

To keep strawberries from absorbing large quantities of water, hull after washing. A salad spinner works well for removing excess water from berries.

Simple Strawberry Recipes
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Strawberries, Chocolate and Ice Cream
--> The simplest dinner party dessert.
Top premium vanilla ice cream with sliced strawberries and sprinkle the berries with semi-sweet Belgian chocolate, cut in slivers off the block. Chocoholic guests will appreciated you even more if you bring a dish of chocolate slivers to the table and let them add chocolate at will.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
--> Berry simple, berry delicious
Pick out 12 large ones, with the stems attached. Melt 3 oz. (85 g.) of Belgian semi-sweet chocolate, 1 tbsp. (15 mL.) of butter and 1 tsp. (5 mL.) of Cognac, brandy or orange liqueur in a double boiler over hot water, or in a microwave oven. Dip the strawberries halfway into the chocolate and set them on a plate covered with a sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate them just long enough for the chocolate to set (about 10 minutes). Eat them the day you make them.

Frozen Strawberry Yogurt
--> Place strawberries, banana, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate and vanilla infood processor; puree. Add yogurt and blend just until mixed.Pour strawberry mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze accordingly.