A Beautiful California-Grown Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe - California Grown (2024)

FAQs

What to do with sour strawberries? ›

Toss them in sugar, honey, or maple syrup, along with a little fresh juice or alcohol (an herbal liqueur, like elderflower spirit, would be great). You don't need a lot to get the berries rocking; a quarter- to a half-cup of juice or booze, and about double the amount of sugar, is all you need.

Because coffee grounds are slightly acidic, they are ideal for strawberries and other plants that prefer a slightly acidic soil. Although coffee grounds are high in nitrogen, they should not be used as the only fertiliser for strawberries, as they contain hardly any other nutrients.

Add a little sugar and salt! Wash your strawberries, cut them, and hit them with a pinch of salt and a couple good three-finger pinches of granulated sugar, give them a little tossy-toss, and watch them magically start to darken and get extra juicy.

Macerate the berries.

Just a little bit of sugar is all you need. Spoon it over chopped or sliced berries, stir together, then let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes before digging in. Want to up the flavor even more? Consider adding a splash of juice or your favorite booze to give berries a flavorful twist.

Use a sugar substitute.

If you're looking for something that's easier to mix into a bowl, agave syrup is another naturally-occurring and tasty alternative that will sweeten strawberries. About 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of syrup would be a perfect amount to cover a handful of strawberries.

Where is the best place to store strawberries? Unless you plan to use the strawberries right away, it's best to store them in your refrigerator to preserve freshness. Unrefrigerated, berries will last only a few days; stored in the fridge, they could last up to a week.

Add 1 tsp. of baking soda to 4 cups of water, and soak your strawberries in a large bowl for five minutes. Then, rinse your strawberries with cold running water and pat them dry. Baking soda helps remove dirt, traces of pesticides, and more from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Yes, a dog can eat strawberries. If you're looking for a fun and safe treat to help expand your dog's palate, strawberries are an excellent choice. Like many other fruits and berries, strawberries are a healthy snack choice for dogs. Other options include apples, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and more.

Use a sugar substitute.

Stevia is a naturally-occurring alternative to sugar that is growing in popularity since it is healthier than granulated sugar. The taste difference is marginal at best so if you're desperate for a sprinkling of sugar over your strawberries, Stevia is the healthier option.

And if you are growing them in pots of whatever type why not try a loam based compost or add some sterilized loam to the potting mix, it can make the world of difference to the taste of your strawberries.

What makes strawberries taste sweeter? ›

As strawberries ripen, their sugar content rises from about 5% in unripe green fruit to 6–9% on ripening. At the same time, the acidity decreases, meaning ripe strawberries taste much sweeter. The ripening process is controlled by a hormone called auxin.