A Beautiful California-Grown Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe - California Grown (2024)

FAQs

How long should you macerate strawberries? ›

Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar per 1 lb. strawberries, stir to combine in a large bowl, then cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

In this case, I used about 1/4 cup of sugar and a 1/2 quart of strawberries and let them sit overnight. It's best to use at least 2 tablespoons sugar per cup of berries and increase the amount based on the tartness of the berries. Some of mine were pretty tart and I wanted them to be nice and sweet.

It's also a hands-off recipe: Just toss strawberries with sugar and let time take care of the rest. The sugar will coax out the berries' juices, creating a thick and succulent syrup, while the strawberries will deepen in flavor and soften in texture. The result is a versatile, sweet-tart topping that's hard to resist.

A mixture of vinegar and water can destroy harmful bacteria and kill off mold spores on the strawberries. Vinegar gives berries a thorough cleaning and can get rid of any dirt or little bugs that may be on them. Soaking your berries in vinegar won't affect how they taste.

Add 1 tsp. of baking soda to 4 cups of water, and soak your strawberries in a large bowl for five minutes. Then, rinse your strawberries with cold running water and pat them dry. Baking soda helps remove dirt, traces of pesticides, and more from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Adding Epsom salt to your fruits and vegetables soil will mean sweeter fruit and delicious vegetables. The Epsom salt will help to boost the chlorophyll levels in your fruit and nut trees. The more chlorophyl means more energy, and more energy means sweeter fruit.

Soaking strawberries in salt water will help dislodge any hidden dirt or bugs. (Gross, we know.) That said, it's normal for there to be some earthy residue on the berries, but if you're particularly concerned about bugs, give them a soak in salt water.

WHAT DO YOU SOAK STRAWBERRIES IN? I've found over the years that the best tasting strawberries have been infused with a dry alcohol. Prosecco, Champagne, Vodka, Rum, White wine, Red wine or Rosé work really well with strawberries.

I highly recommend chopped mint, basil and lavender, which add surprising depth to a bowl of strawberries. Skip the rest of them, especially tarragon and sage, which clash completely with strawberry's bright flavors.

Macerate them

This is the best way to intensify the flavour of your strawberries. By tossing them in sugar (be it white, brown or – for a real treat – sugar infused with a vanilla pod) and leaving them to sit for a while, you not only get juicier, sweeter berries but you're also left with a natural syrup to drizzle.

Can dogs have strawberries? ›

Yes, dogs can eat strawberries. Strawberries are full of fiber and vitamin C. Along with that, they also contain an enzyme that can help whiten your dog's teeth as he or she eats them. Like all fruits, strawberries contain natural sugar, so offer them in moderation.

If your strawberries aren't sweet, look at your current soil conditions. Strawberries perform best in well-drained, fertile, and slightly acidic soils. In fact, these plants tend to yield more and are sweeter when grown in compost-enriched, sandy soil.

The choice of fertilizer here is key – you want one with lots of potassium because it has been proven than plants fed with a potassium rich feed develop more sugar and a better flavour! Tomato feed [Tomorite or similar] is the most well known fertilizer within this category, it's easy to find and use.

How Long to Macerate. Most maceration is accomplished quickly, within as little as 30 minutes, especially with softer fruits like raspberries and strawberries. Other fruits, such as cherries or dried fruits, need to macerate overnight in order for the changes to occur.

If you want your fruit as soft and sweet as possible, consider macerating for a longer period, but if you want it to still have a bit of fresh firmness and a less sugary flavor, you can macerate for less than an hour. Let your fruit marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions. What is the best way to wash strawberries? The best way to wash strawberries is to rinse them with water and then soak them in a vinegar for about 20 minutes or soak them in a water and baking soda mixture for about 15 minutes.

First, rinse the strawberries. Then, place them in a jar filled with your favorite vodka (mine is Tito's). You want to make sure that the strawberries are submerged. Place the jar in the fridge and let them really soak about 4-6 hours.