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Description:
Actually a
member of the rose family, these plump, flame-red, succulent berries are heart
shaped with tiny edible seeds, green leaves and short to long stems.
Peak
Season:
June and
July
Handling:
Choose
plump, firm, deep-colored strawberries, with bright green caps and no signs of
mold or soft spots.
Store
strawberries in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Wash and hull strawberries just
before using them. A 12 oz. basket of strawberries will give you 3 1/2 cups
whole strawberries, or 2 1/4 cup sliced strawberries.
Preparation:
The best
way to eat a strawberry is fresh out of hand. For a fresh strawberry taste, try
this simple strawberry gelato. Heat 1 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups water until
sugar dissolves. Combine 3 cups pureed strawberries, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped
lemon zest, and 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice with cooled sugar mixture. Freeze
until firm.
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Strawberry Historical Facts
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, Canada, and the United States.
The
berries seem to be strewn among the leaves of the plant. The plant first
had the name strewberry, farmers used to bring them to market on beds of
straw, so later the name was changed to strawberry.
In France
strawberries were cultivated in the 13th Century for use as 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 diarrhea 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.
Strawberry Horticultural Facts
The
strawberry is a small plant of the Rosaceae (Rose) family. All varieties
of the strawberry plant belong to the Fragaria genus.
Strawberries are not really berries or fruit, but are instead the enlarged ends
of the plant's stamen. It is the small black spots which are actually the fruit.
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 grow the strawberry plant. 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.
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.
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