Holy Strawberries Batman

We got a ton of strawberries from our CSA, Dragonfly Farms. But we also had to throw away a ton of strawberries from our CSA, Dragonfly Farms. They would rotten so fast we couldn’t eat them quickly enough.

I would pick them up around 9:30 am on Saturday and would have to throw them out by Sunday morning if not earlier. I tried several different methods to keep them fresh:

1. put them straight into the fridge and clean them in a couple hours.

2. clean them right away and set them on the paper towel covered counter to dry out

3. clean them and store in them in tuberware in between layers of paper towels

4. soak them in a vinegar solution for a hour them clean them (Dragonfly Farm’s suggestion)

5. freeze them

6. eat them right away

7. bake them in something right away

Only two of the above worked. Eat them right away and bake them right away. Everything else failed to keep them fresh past Sunday morning.

So what is the deal? Store bought strawberries will last 2 to 3 times longer. Why are these spoiling so quickly?

First of all the CSA strawberries are by far juicier and flavorful than store bought. Plus the CSA strawberries are a bright and deep red. Store bought strawberries range from a red to pink to almost white. Plus store bought berries are hard, bland and sometimes a little sour. The CSA berries were always sweet! I believe the sweetness and ripeness contributes to the CSA strawberries’ short shelf life. Plus the CSA strawberries do not have any pesticides-organic or otherwise. So there is nothing on them to preserve.

The leading theory on why strawberries are called strawberries is how they were grown in the early nineteenth century. The farmers placed straw around the growing berry plants to protect the ripening fruit. Strawberries are very delicate when ripe. And if they grow on the ground they would ripen and then rotten before they could be picked. The straw could not only cushion them but would help the “shelf” life of the ripe fruit. So they could be harvested and eaten.

Because of the quick ripe to rotten ratio I had to find what to use the strawberries fast. Here are some of the ways Dave and I enjoyed them:

Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie—Yummo

Cream and Strawberry biscuits

Chocolate covered strawberries

Eating them straight

In a salad

But sadly the strawberry season is over and we will not be receiving any more strawberries. But I feel like I am better prepared now for a storm of strawberries so I am sad to see them go…for now.

But speaking of Batman…who is excited for the last installment of Batman (The Christian Bale Series)?

I know I am! I love me some super heroes and strawberries during the summer!