Strawberries: season, how to choose them and 5 ways to use them

The quickest way to ruin strawberries is to wash them as soon as you get home and put them back in the fridge. Water gets trapped between the berries and within a day the first mould appears. Wash strawberries only when you're about to eat them, with the stalk still on, and dry them straight away.

When they're in season

In Italy, field-grown strawberries are available from April to June; in the South, the greenhouse harvest starts as early as late winter. There are also everbearing varieties that keep fruiting until autumn.

How to choose them: 4 things to look for

1. Even red colour right up to the stalk: strawberries don't ripen any further once picked.
2. Green, fresh stalk.
3. A strong scent: strawberries with no smell usually have no flavour either.
4. A dry punnet, with no squashed or mouldy berries at the bottom.

How to store them

In the fridge, unwashed, spread in a single layer on a sheet of kitchen paper, for 1–2 days. Taking them out half an hour before eating brings back their scent. To freeze them: wash, dry and hull them, freeze on a tray first and then transfer to a bag.

5 ways to use them

1. With sugar and lemon: sliced, with a spoonful of sugar and a few drops of lemon, left to stand for 20 minutes.
2. With balsamic vinegar: the Emilian classic, a few drops over quartered strawberries.
3. In cheesecake: fresh or as jam.
4. With cheese: with ricotta, a fresh goat's cheese or burrata.
5. On toast with a fresh cheese and a spoonful of strawberry jam.

Out of season: jam

Our strawberry extra jam is made with hand-picked strawberries – just strawberries and cane sugar in equal parts – cooked under vacuum at low temperature: 130 g of strawberries for every 100 g of jam, with no pectin or thickeners. 212 g jar; once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within 7 days.

From our range Strawberry extra jam Just strawberries and cane sugar, no pectin. € 7,90 Discover → or build your own box

Frequently asked questions

Do strawberries ripen after picking?

No: they may soften, but their colour and flavour stay as they were when picked.

Why should strawberries be washed with the stalk on?

Without the stalk, water gets into the fruit and makes it watery.

Can you freeze strawberries?

Yes. Once thawed they're soft: good for smoothies, sauces and cakes, less so for eating whole.

All our jams: Jams collection.