Who doesn't love strawberries? There are many different strawberry varieties. Depending on the type, strawberries vary in colour and shape from bright red to burgundy, and from conical to oval. Strawberries have a sweet, full flavour and can be perfectly combined with other soft fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and red currants.
The strawberries as we now know them are about 200 years old. Cross-breeding hard strawberries from California with soft strawberries from Europe led to today's firm varieties that can be transported over large distances.
Strawberries are deliciously sweet and juicy and taste wonderful in all kinds of dishes. You will of course be familiar with strawberry jam, ice cream, yoghurt, cakes and smoothies.
But how about risotto with strawberries, strawberry soup with ginger mascarpone or home-made strawberry liqueur?
Strawberries must have an even, shiny red colour. Strawberries taste best at room temperature. Don't remove the stems until after you have rinsed your strawberries, because otherwise they will absorb water. Strawberries can also be deep-frozen, so that you can enjoy them all the year round without any loss of flavour or vitamins. But if you prefer to eat them fresh, that's no problem: strawberries are available almost all the year round nowadays.
Strawberries are full of fibre, vitamin C and folate (vitamin B11), building stones for a good health. For this reason they are also referred to as ‘superfruit’. In spite of being deliciously sweet, strawberries contain only 36 calories per 100 grams. So don't feel guilty if you fancy a second portion!
Who doesn't love strawberries? There are many different strawberry varieties. Depending on the type, strawberries vary in colour and shape from bright red to burgundy, and from conical to oval. Strawberries have a sweet, full flavour and can be perfectly combined with other soft fruit such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and red currants.
Blueberries are also known as bilberries or whortleberries. They are bluish black with a silvery wax coating and have a mild, sweet flavour. Blueberries are a source of vitamin E, a well-known antioxidant.
Blackberries are juicy and bursting with minerals. The mildly sweet fruits with their characteristic aroma are made up of lots of tiny drupelets. They grow on dense, thorny bushes. The larger the blackberries, the better they taste. Blackberries can be eaten as they are or in (fruit) salads, cakes and milkshakes. They are also ideal for decorating a dollop of whipped cream on top of ice-cream.
Raspberries have a unique flavour characterised by a velvety aroma. These fruity gems are delicious eaten fresh, and have the added advantage that they are also very good for you. But you can of course also use them in hot or cold sauces and in desserts. Start experimenting and you'll be amazed by the many different ways in which raspberries can be used!
Red currants are gleaming little gems. Their bright red colour is a joy for the eyes, which is why they are often used to add a colourful touch to the most delicious dishes. Red currants have a refreshing flavour and taste great eaten pure as little vitamin bombs. They are a real delicacy combined with a little sugar and cream.
Bob knows all about every type of fruit. He thinks it’s a pity so many people know so little about fruit, about the good it can do for you besides tasting great, or about how it can be used in surprising ways.