Strawberries

The food at hand today is the strawberry. A perfect blend of sweet, sour, juicy, not to mention healthy all in one, strawberries seem to be the universal likable fruit. It was the first fruit that I ate willingly post-baby food and I have yet to encounter someone whom, when served strawberries, said, “Do you have anything else?”
They come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes you get small ones, no bigger than a raspberry, as can be found in my mother’s garden. I have found that home grown strawberries tend to be more tart (maybe from less pesticides or the fact that they are not genetically enhanced, who knows?) so if you are like me and enjoy the intense sour rush, try planting some in the summer. But if you go to a supermarket you may find the bigger, redder, more commercial-esque strawberries which are great and soothing on a hot day. Most of the strawberries you get in boxes have the normal cone shape, but occasionally you get some “three pointers” which are very fat with three tips so it looks like three strawberries were molded into one.
Although I personally enjoy eating strawberries in their true form the best, a most crucial factor is their versatility. For birthdays, how about strawberry short cake? Or in mid-August why not puree some strawberries, add some sugar, syrup, and lemon juice, and make strawberry sorbet to combat the heat? Or my personal favorite: ice cold strawberry daiquiris (virgin, of course) on spring break. The options are almost endless and can be applied to more than just deserts or vacation drinks. The strawberry almond salad, a dish I came across recently, made me realize that strawberries could be used in even more ways than I had originally speculated. The strawberries add a sweet touch to the oil dressing, and combined with the almonds and cheese it is a truly sensational appetizer. Although admittedly I have come across some pretty interesting ways to apply fruits such as oranges, melons, and raspberries in a variety of ways, but in terms of taste and versatility strawberries are nearly unmatched in the fruit food group.
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