Strawberries!

Strawberry season opened this week. I couldn't wait to get to the farm to taste a warm, sweet juicy berry freshly plucked from the field. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen each spring. It could be the reason why pickers so enthusiastically make their way to the fields when the season starts. Strawberries aren't my favorite berry to pick because of all of the bending and kneeling (I'm sounding old, aren't I?), but they are a staple in our house with smoothies, preserves, and even dried in granola.  
Have you ever gone berry picking and then, after placing your haul on the counter, you ask yourself...what now? This week, for me, it was strawberries-- nearly twenty pounds of them! 

Our refrigerator was still full of leftovers from the holiday weekend. I felt like that moment in the movie where Forrest Gump befriends Bubba and he learns over a very long bus ride all about the shrimping business and all of the possibilities with shrimp-- shrimp kebabs, bbq shrimp, shrimp cocktail-- that's exactly how I felt when my husband asked what my plans were for all of the strawberries. Have I mentioned that my husband is a really good sport when it comes to my endeavors? Lucky me!

And so, it began-- strawberries! Strawberry preserves, strawberry shortcake, dried  strawberries, strawberry smoothies, strawberry rhubarb jam, strawberry ice cream, strawberry syrup, and canned strawberries were just a few thoughts that came to mind.

I decided to start with something that I hadn't done before, and that is to preserve strawberries whole. Why not? What could be better in late autumn or even winter than cracking open a jar of berries for a pie or to pour over ice cream? 

When you have two overflowing flats of strawberries, preserving them whole makes for a simple beginning. Seeing all of those strawberries suspended in sweet syrup will cause you to swoon. I promised my dear husband strawberry preserves for his pb & j sandwiches, and I haven't spent a spring yet without savoring strawberry shortcake. 
Strawberry shortcake and preserves are in the works, but for now, if you want to give preserving whole strawberries a try, you can get the recipe here: Canned Strawberries