Savor strawberries at peak of season

• Three fun and delicious ways to use strawberries

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Strawberry shortcake is one of those traditional favorites that has never ceased to gain new fans. Gannett News Service Three quick strawberry ideas Marinate strawberries before using them in salads or desserts. Toss 2 pints cleaned, sliced strawberries with 3 tablespoons EACH sugar (brown sugar or honey) and lemon juice and chill for an hour. Make a salsa for grilled fish or chicken: Toss 2 cups diced strawberries with 1 peeled and diced cucumber, 1 sliced green onion, a tablespoon of minced cilantro and 3-4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar. Serve daiquiries: Blend 3 ounces of marinated strawberries (see above) with 2 ounces light rum, 1 sweet-and-sour mix and a handful of ice. Serve garnished with strawberries.

Strawberries. It's their time.

Time for shortcakes, salads and daiquiris.

Red, luscious, freckled strawberries are at the peak of their season. They're grown nine months of the year in the United States, but the strawberry harvest reaches its most bountiful period during April, May and June.

Even if you don't live where pick-it-yourself strawberries are available, "you can lock in the sweet taste year-round by freezing them," said Sharon Woldhagen, a spokeswoman for the town of Poteet, considered Texas' strawberry capital. "One cup of sugar for each seven to eight cups of berries will help keep strawberries fresh for up to a year."

The strawberry we know today was developed in the 18th century after a French spy on a mission to Chile smuggled the first large scarlet strawberry home to France.

In King Louis XV's garden at Versailles, the New World berry was crossed with another berry that Virginia colonists had sent back to Europe. This new berry astonished the king with its increased flavor, size and fertility. During the French Revolution, English gardeners took over strawberry cultivation, growing them outside London to supply the eager market.

In the United States, the commercial development of strawberries has boomed since the Civil War, and most of today's varieties originated within the past 60 years.

Strawberries have few rivals in delighting the palate when it comes to sorbets, ice cream, cakes, pies, breads, sauces, tarts and salads.

Strawberries' size, abundance and sweetness are matched only by how good they are for you.

"That is the great thing about strawberries," said Dominique Hansen, communications director for the California Strawberry Commission. "They are highly nutritious, they are versatile and they taste great."

Strawberries are high in vitamin C and folic acid.

Here's how to select and store strawberries, courtesy of the North American Strawberry Growers Association.

When buying: 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.

Storing fresh strawberries: Sort and remove bruised or damaged berries as soon as possible and use them in sauces, purees or jams. Place the remaining berries in cool, well-ventilated containers (32 to 40 degrees). Store uncovered or loosely covered. Remove caps and rinse gently just before serving.

Freezing strawberries: If you find large containers of strawberries that look good and are priced right, freeze them now for use later.

Without sugar for jam and other uses: Fill freezer containers with prepared sliced, or washed and dried berries to within half an inch of top. Combine four cups cold water with one tablespoon of lemon or lime juice and pour over berries before freezing. Seal, label and date.

In sugar syrup: Fill freezer containers with prepared berries to within half an inch of top. Combine four cups cold water with four cups sugar; stir to dissolve. Pour over berries. Seal, label and date.

Individual quick freezing: For long-term storage of individual berries, individual quick freezing is recommended. This will minimize the "mushiness" associated with freezing the berries. Strawberries can be frozen and safely kept for up to one year. Choose firm, ripe berries; wash in ice water before removing caps. Carefully drain well on several layers of paper towels first. Place the berries on flat trays in a single layer, well spaced out, and put into the coldest part of the freezer (the colder, the better). When frozen, store in containers or place in heavy freezer bags, tightly sealed. If freezer bags are used, try to suck out as much air as possible to minimize freezer burn. Seal, label and date. These berries can be used individually for special desserts, on cereals or as ice cubes in fancy drinks.

If you're tired of the same old dinner salad, why not try Strawberry and spinach salad? Fresh strawberries can liven up any salad with their color and especially their sweet taste. Gannett News Service

What to do with strawberries once you've eaten your fill of them right from the basket?

This salad is as easy as they come. It may surprise some folks who aren't used to seeing fruit in a green salad, but the combination is delicious. Variations include adding slivered almonds to the salad or making a poppy-seed dressing.

Strawberry and Spinach Salad

For the salad:

• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 pint strawberries
• 1 small red onion
• For the dressing:
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Wash spinach leaves and spin or pat them dry. Tear into bite-size pieces. Hull and slice strawberries. Very thinly slice red onion. Toss in large salad bowl.

Whisk together orange juice, honey, olive oil and mustard. Pour over salad.

Here's a dramatic preparation of an old favorite.

Strawberry Shortcake

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons lard (or shortening)
• 3/8 cup milk
• A few drops vanilla extract
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup sugar
• Whipped cream, to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease and flour an eight-inch cake pan.

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in the lard or shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives (or in a food processor). Add enough milk with the vanilla to make a soft dough. Knead only enough to make the softened dough manageable. Pat out into cake pan. Bake in oven about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, mix together strawberries and sugar. Set in refrigerator to chill. When ready to pile over the shortcake, you may stir in one-half cup ice water (this is optional, depending on how much "ooze" you like in your shortcake).

Slice the shortcake horizontally into two rounds. Lay bottom half on a plate, pile with half the berries and top with second shortcake half. Cover with remaining berries and lots of whipped cream.

Serves 12.

This unusual cobbler recipe uses a sweet pie-crust-type topping in which a pastry is made by cutting shortening into flour.

Strawberry Cobbler

For the filling:

• 3 pints strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove green tops from strawberries. Rinse the berries, pat them dry and cut them into quarters if they are large.

Combine them in a bowl with sugar and cornstarch and toss to coat the berries. Pour into a nine-inch square baking dish.

To make the crust, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into several pieces and add butter and shortening to flour mixture. Use two knives or a pastry blender to cut the butter and shortening into pieces the size of small peas (you may also use a food processor). Add three tablespoons of ice-cold water and stir to blend so the mixture holds together in a ball. Roll to fit the nine-inch pan, and set it lightly over the strawberries.

Bake 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling, slightly thickened and the pastry has browned. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Serves eight.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.