STRAWBERRY FIELDS: Picking fresh strawberries is a summer tradition

If you know, you know — there's nothing as tasty, and hotly anticipated, than those first, sweet, just-picked strawberries from local farms!

By CINDA CHAVICH

Freshly picked strawberries from the garden — there's no comparison.

Like the fragrant garden tomato, the strawberry is one of those fresh foods that becomes almost mythic when it’s picked fresh and in season.

The strawberries we get year round in supermarkets are most often the imported variety — huge, red, beautiful but alas, often hollow and tasteless. Shipped from California and beyond, they look tempting but just never quite deliver the juicy strawberry flavour that you expect from the big impressive package.

But a fresh, local strawberry is quite the opposite. It may be smaller and harder to come by — but once you get some of these amazingly sweet and juicy local berries, your head will never again be turned by an imported imitator.

And so awaiting strawberry season becomes like Christmas, a magical time, just once a year.

Strawberry season starts in June with the biggest, sweetest berries from local farms.

ISLAND BERRIES

Here on Vancouver Island, we are blessed with some wonderful berry farmers, and strawberry season is in full swing now.

If you have strawberries in your own garden, indulge in the very best fresh strawberry experience, plucked warm from the vine on a hot summer day.

But if you don’t happen to have a strawberry patch in your back yard, you’re in luck. Because you can find local strawberries at local farms and markets around the city.

One of my favourite spots for sweet strawberries is Galey Farms and Market on Blenkinsop Road, where you can find their own juicy, sweet berries by the basket or the flat.

We once only expected strawberries in June, but today there are several varieties that extend the season beyond the classic "June bearing" strawberries right into the fall. From the earliest Kent and Cavendish (both technically "June bearing") to several "Day Neutral" varieties (i.e. the shortened days of late summer don't affect their ability to bear fruit), we can expect fresh local strawberries throughout the summer.

While the earliest strawberries are generally the largest and sweetest varieties, the late Day Neutrals, though smaller, are perfect for jam as they also have a little more acidity, which helps the fruit gel naturally.

Strawberries and ice cream at the festival

With a cool start to summer, strawberries, like everything, are a few weeks late this year, but they are coming on strong now with all of this warmer weather.

At the recent Saanich Strawberry Festival at Beaver Lake Park (the 58th annual!) locals gathered to enjoy strawberries and ice cream, along with treats from local food truck vendors, musicians and playful family events. The line was long for fresh local strawberries and ice cream — but at just two bucks a bowl, it was definitely worth the wait!

FARM FRESH

If you go out to pick strawberries or blueberries this year, make it a family outing. Wear a hat and sunscreen, and be sure to pick carefully as not to damage plants.

Local strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are easy to find at farm markets or pick on Vancouver Island.

FARM FRESH GUIDES

If you want to know more about the many U-pick gardens in the area, pick up a copy of the Island Farm Fresh guide or visit islandfarmfresh.com for listings of farms on Vancouver Island, producing everything from vegetables and fruit to eggs, meat, honey, cider and more. Complete with maps highlighting various regions on the island, it's the kind of thing to have on hand in the car, for impromptu farm visits and shopping whenever you're on the road. Another excellent resource is Pacific Palate: Food Artisans of Vancouver Island by longtime local food expert and writer Don Genova. The second edition of this food lover's handbook was recently update and released, and features stories about those who produce your food.

There aren’t really too many recipes that you need when you’ve got perfectly fresh strawberries in season. Just wash them and serve them in a big bowl, or slice them and toss with a little sugar to release their juices for simply serving over ice cream or cake.

Strawberry shortcake is a classic, or you can combine strawberries and rhubarb in pies. Here are some of my favourite recipes, including a simple strawberry trifle and a rhubarb and strawberry crumb pie from my first cookbook, the Wild West Cookbook (updated with new recipes and design in 2024).

RECIPES

EASY STRAWBERRY TRIFLE

A simple no-bake dessert for a hot summer day. A store-bought pound cake or lemon loaf works perfectly for this easy, make-ahead dessert. You can make one large trifle (in a straight-sided glass bowl) or make individual desserts, in wine glasses, cups, or jars. If you use small canning jars, you can make the trifles in advance — screw on the lids and chill overnight to take to a picnic or pot luck!

INGREDIENTS:

1 small pound cake

1/4 cup sherry or Grand Marnier

3 cups hulled and sliced strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tub of lemon or vanilla yogurt (I like the lemon yogurt from Liberty)

whipped cream to garnish (optional)

METHOD:

Cut the cake into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine the sliced strawberries with sugar and stir. Set aside until softened and juicy.

In individual cups or wine glasses, place a layer of cake cubes. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sherry or GM over the cake. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries and just enough of the yogurt to cover.

Continue layering cake, berries and yogurt until the glass is full, ending with yogurt and decorating each serving with a few sliced berries and a bit of fresh mint. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream, if desired (optional).

Makes 4-6 individual desserts (or one medium trifle, layered in a larger glass bowl.)

STRAWBERRY AND RHUBARB CRUMB PIE

Here’s a classic combination, a recipe from the original Wild West Cookbook by Cinda Chavich (Robert Rose), now re-issued, with a new look and additional cowboy and ranch-inspired family recipes.

Pastry for a single crust pie (use a frozen pie shell if you like or even a crumb crust)

3 cups finely chopped red rhubarb

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sour cream

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

Arrange rhubarb and strawberries in a 9-inch unbaked pie shell. In a mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and 1/3 cup of flour with the sour cream. Whisk until smooth and pour evenly over the fruit.

For the topping, combine the 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar then cut in the butter, using a pastry blender or your fingers, until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the pie.

Bake in a preheated 450 F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 F and bake 45 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate. Serve the pie chilled. Serves 8.

BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES BRULEE

Here's an easy recipe from my book, The Girl Can't Cook: 275 Fabulous No Fail Recipes a Girl Can't be Without, a fine finale when you're cooking a romantic dinner for two.

I know, mixing strawberries and vinegar may sound weird, but try it. A nice, well-aged balsamic (the really good stuff or, if not available, make a balsamic reduction, see Tip, below) will bring out the flavour of strawberries and, believe it or not, a good grinding of black pepper adds an intriguing note, too.

Easy as you can marinate the strawberries an hour or two before dinner. And if you're pressed for time, you can simply serve the marinated strawberries alone, with a little store-bought biscotti or shortbread on the side.

But if you want to impress, save some of the champagne you're drinking for this sabayon (aka zabaglione) and whisk it together at the last minute for a grand finale.

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon traditional balsamic vinegar (or use a good balsamic reduction)

Sabayon:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons Champagne

1/4 cup whipping cream, whipped with a teaspoon of sugar

Combine the strawberries, sugar and balsamic in a bowl and marinade together for about an hour. Divide evenly between two individual, shallow oval ramekins and set aside.

To make the sabayon, get a big stainless steel bowl, a balloon whisk and a big pot of simmering water.  Put the sugar and egg yolk in the bowl, set the bowl over the hot water and start whisking. You can do this in a saucepan over direct heat but it’s riskier and you MUST not move from the stove (or your sabayon can cook and curdle and you will have to start all over again.) Your choice.

When the mixture is thick and pale yellow, add the champagne and continue to whisk until light and frothy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and keep whisking until cool. Meanwhile, get your partner to whip the cream.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture (pile the cream on top and turn into the custard, using a slicing and scooping motion). This will keep the texture of the sabayon light, and prevent it from breaking down.

Preheat the broiler.  Spoon the sabayon evenly over the berries. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide them under the broiler, about 2-4 inches below the hot element. Broil, watching constantly,  until they just start to turn brown on top. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

TIP: Use a very high quality balsamico (the traditional Italian kind of balsamic vinegar from Modena) or get a good balsamic vinegar and make your own reduction by simmering it down until it's sweet and syrupy.

Reduced balsamic keeps well, so you can make it in advance, to use on salads or to drizzle over a wide variety of savoury or sweet dishes, from grilled vegetables and bruschetta to roasted meats.

BUTTERMILK PUDDING WITH HONEY AND STRAWBERRIES

This lovely recipe, for a slightly tart and creamy buttermilk pudding, infused with honey and topped with honey-macerated strawberries, was published in the spring 2025 edition of Edible Vancouver magazine (a publication that I regularly contribute to and highly recommend for anyone interested in BC food stories!)

It's a variation of my berries with sabayon recipe (above) — combining macerated strawberries with creamy custard for a simple dessert. Thanks to publisher and Chef Justin Faubert for the inspiration!

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2 cups buttermilk, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg yolk (you can add an extra yolk for a thicker pudding)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)

Add 1/2 cup of buttermilk to a mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, egg yolk(s) and salt and mix well.

Add the other 11/2 cups of buttermilk and honey to a small pot over medium-low heat. Warm until the buttermilk separates (yes, it will separate). Pour a small amount of warm buttermilk into the cornstarch mixture and whisk. Continue adding the warm liquid and whisking until all the buttermilk is added.

Pour this mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat.

Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and just begins to bubble. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the pudding into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

Let the pudding cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.

The pudding can be kept, covered, for several days.

Macerated strawberries:

2 cups strawberries, cleaned and stems removed

4 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, etc.)

Pinch of black pepper (optional)

If using raw honey, add it to a small pot and warm the honey until it is liquified.

Cut the cleaned strawberries into small chunks (in half or quarters, or more, depending on their size) and place into a mixing bowl. Add the honey, orange liqueur and black pepper. Mix well.

Leave the strawberries for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. The longer they sit, the more juice will come out of the berries and the flavouring will get into the fruit.

To serve, portion the pudding into four small cups and top with the macerated strawberries. Serves 4.

©CindaChavich2025