Simple Things

Thanks to the cool weather in May this year the strawberry season in Ohio was a little behind schedule. In the last week and a half, however, they have come to the market in full force.

For eleven months out of the year we are subjected to California strawberries, but what difference the month or near-month of local berries makes. Unlike their California cousins which are red on the outside and white and sometimes bitter on the inside, the Ohio berries are red to the center. They are totally ripe when they hit the markets, roadside stands and small produce barns. They are what a fresh strawberry should be, sweet and juicy.

The berries pictured here came from a small roadside stand on Saturday, having just come out of the fields and been washed. So far they have been sliced and served atop pancakes with warm maple syrup, dipped in plain yogurt and brown sugar, and tossed on top of some cereal for breakfast this morning. Tonight will be strawberry shortcake night.

For the rest of the year we will make do with, and appreciate the California berries, but for the next week or so we will over indulge in the local ones.