Why is it so easy to love strawberries?
- annual appearance of strawberries marks the unofficial bedding in of summer.
- their bright red color is so attractive; their flesh is sweet &juicy and their aroma is utterly tantalising
- we love the way the appearance of strawberries in the shops celebrate English institutions like Wimbledon and Eton
- We love them eaten by the handful, fresh from the punnet, OR drizzing them thickly with double cream OR stirring them into thick double cream studded with broken meringues and drizzled with dark chocolate
- Strawberry flavours are popular everywhere. In food: jams, baked goods, ice cream, coffee toppings, milkshakes. Elsewhere: in soaps, lip gloss and perfumes
But there health benefits, too, right? They're:
- nutritionally rich
- low in sugar
- high in fibre
- low calorie
- high in Vitamin C
- contains good levels of magnesium (the current mineral de jour) which helps nerve funvction and can relieve depression
Are strawberries quintessentially English?
Actually no. They were cross-bred in 17thC France from species in eastern North America and Chile. From a botanical point of view, the strawberry is not even a proper berry. It's an 'aggregate accessory fruit', meaning that each seed on the outside of the fruit is actually one of its many flower ovaries, with a seed inside it.[4]
Strawberries 'n Cream though, is English. It was created by Thomas Wolsey in the court of KingHenry VIII when strawberry farming was in demand.
What is the strawberry business worth worldwide?
World demand for strawberries continues to climb. The top three srtrawberry producers are China (by far), the United States and Egypt (sources: World Population Review & Tridge )
Global producetion has risen 39% in the 10 years to 2022.
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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises. They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission
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