A beautiful sign of spring in the southern US and summer in the northern US, strawberries are a promise of the warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine to come.Embrace their ruby hue, flowery aroma, and juicy sweetness in this bountiful batch of cakes, bars, and pies.  STRAWBERRY SMARTS Although strawberries can be found at grocery stores year-round, like any other produce, they’re at their best when in season.Strawberries grown in the South are at their peak in March, April, and May.

In the North, look for berries in June and July.In the West, harvest season runs from April to July.A ripe strawberry will have a sweet, floral fragrance and be completely red—the darker the hue, the sweeter the flesh.

Strawberries ripen from tip to stem, so whiteness around the stems can indicate the berries were not given the proper time to ripen on the plant.Strawberries do not ripen after being picked, so make sure they’re already at your desired level of ripeness when choosing them.One of the best indicators of freshness is the cap of the strawberry.

If the leaves are bright green, the strawberries are likely fresher.Buy locally grown when possible.Strawberries that are shipped long distances are often picked underripe to hold up during transportation, which means these berries can be bland or tart.

Small berries tend to be j

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