Pick of the patch!

There’s something about a beautiful Irish summer that brings us back to strawberries.

Not the pale supermarket ones we tolerate through the winter, but the real thing, sun-warmed, soft, a bit uneven and bursting with flavour.

This year in Cork, with the heat holding and the skies behaving themselves for once, the strawberries have been exceptional. I’ve been thinking a lot about them lately, not just because they taste like pure nostalgia, but because they’re quietly one of the best things you can eat for your health.

And sure, isn’t it always nice when something good for you also tastes like dessert. An amount of 100 grams supplies 33kcal, contains 58.8mg vitamin C and makes up 65% of your daily needs (for comparison, 100g of orange only contains 53.2mg) and is also a good source of manganese.

Growing up, my mother had a way with strawberries. She grew them in neat rows down the garden, guarded fiercely from birds and me. When they came in, they came in strong. Bowls of them everywhere. And her favourite way to serve them was simple but at the same time quite decadent.

Sliced strawberries, a spoon of sugar and a generous pour of evaporated milk. Left to sit for a few minutes until everything softened and the juices ran. I can still taste it. I’d be coming home from work and there it was on the table, like a quiet reward for getting through the day.

But there are more adventurous ways of eating strawberries.

Try tossing strawberries with a pinch of black pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar. It sounds odd but it sharpens the sweetness and brings out a depth you don’t expect. Serve them with a bit of good vanilla ice cream and you will never look at black pepper the same way.

Another idea is strawberries with a touch of sea salt and fresh basil. Tear the basil rather than chopping it (chopping the basil turns it black). The salt lifts the flavour, the basil adds a fresh, almost peppery note. It’s a grand side dish for a barbecue or just something different to bring to the table.

If you’re feeling brave, roast them. A quick spell in the oven with a drizzle of honey turns them jammy and intense. Spoon them over yogurt in the morning or onto toast with a bit of mascarpone. For something savoury, slice strawberries into a salad with goat’s cheese, spinach and a handful of toasted hazelnuts. A light dressing and you got a dish that works as a starter or a light lunch.

And then there is the freezer trick. Hull them, freeze them, then blitz them straight into a soft sorbet in your kitchen machine. No ice cream maker needed. Just fruit, maybe a squeeze of lemon and you are sorted. Perfect on a warm evening while sitting on the patio. But there is no need to overthink it either.

A bowl of fresh strawberries, maybe a bit of cream or maybe nothing at all, eaten outside, that’s hard to beat. This kind of summer doesn’t come around every year in Ireland. When it does, it’s worth leaning into it. Buy local if you can unless you are like my mum and growing your own. The difference in taste is night and day and you are supporting growers who know exactly how to make the most of our short but glorious season.

So, whether you stick with the old ways or try something new, make the most of the strawberries while they are here. They won’t last forever. But for a few bright weeks, they are about as good as food gets!