It's almost the end of spring and therefore the peak of strawberry season. So, there couldn't be a better time to make delicious strawberry desserts. But do you even know how to store them properly?
Discover our latest podcast
Strawberries are very fragile. We all need to follow certain rules to prevent them from spoiling before we can enjoy them. Here are the things you should do to keep them for longer.
Do not put strawberries in the fridge
One of the most common mistakes when buying a tray of strawberries is to put them straight in the fridge when you get home. This is a mistake. Strawberries do not like cold temperatures. If you still want to keep them in the fridge, it is better to put them in the crisper, which is the warmest compartment in your fridge. They will keep for 2 days. Otherwise, choose the kitchen counter.
But temperatures are starting to rise, and strawberries don't like it too hot either, so wrap them in a clean cloth to protect them from direct sunlight and heat. This way you can keep them in your kitchen for at least 3 days before eating them in a pie, cake, or dunked in whipped cream. Yummy!
Don't forget to sort out the damaged strawberries
Before storing your strawberries in the crisper or under a cloth in your kitchen, don't forget to sort them out. When you buy a tray of strawberries, there are often one or two in the batch that have started to spoil or even rot.
Sometimes the bad berries have been hidden under the others. Make sure you sort out the bad strawberries from the good ones. They could contaminate the whole batch very quickly, and what a shame it would be.
Do not remove the stems from the strawberries
As with all fruits and vegetables, you should wash strawberries before eating them. Only, when you do so, don't remove the stems. Why, you ask? Stemless strawberries are more likely to become waterlogged. This causes them to lose flavour and texture. To prevent this from happening, remember to spare the stems until you are ready to use your strawberries. And once you've removed them, don't throw them away! Strawberry stems are excellent for making thirst-quenching syrups for the season.
