The pick-your-own strawberry farms in Illinois and nearby states had better start preparing now.
They’re going to enjoy a banner year when the season opens in June 2023.
So will other farms around the country where the summer was similarly warm and sunny but not stifling hot.
If you’re abona fide strawberry lover, you may wish to start preparing now, too.
This may pose a lesser challenge than it seems.
By 2021, the per-capital number had climbed to 8.5 pounds.
You won’t when you learn how to distinguish the good ones from the bad ones.
A fresh, ripe strawberry should be bright red and firm and smell sweet,Spoon Universitysays.
Mold can leave white or greenish-gray traces on strawberries (perNew Health Advisor.org).
A spoiled strawberry may also be wrinkly a sign that its hours (not days) are seriously numbered.
Wrinkled strawberries should be consumed as soon as possible.
If you’re uncertain, touch and sniff tests will help you reach a verdict.
A spoiled strawberry also smells like one: rotten.
These are more reliable criteria than going by general shelf-life dates.
Still, the dates are good to know, especially if they affect your storage decisions.
Put wrinkled strawberries to good use
It’s smart to pay extra attention to wrinkled strawberries.
They’re safe to eat unless they contain mold,Spoon Universitysays.
In their already-mushy state, they will break down quickly, reducing your total prep time.
Wrinkled strawberries can also be used to makestrawberry muffins,cobblers, andpies.
Taste of Home suggestsstrawberry cake,chocolate-strawberry cake,strawberry shortcake, andstrawberry trifle.
Then there is the creme de la creme of strawberry desserts: chocolate-covered strawberries.
