Strawberry
Its real fruits are the little grains on its surface: the achenes.
- Season: April, May, June, July
- Peak season: May, June
- Botanical family: Rosaceae
History
Wild strawberries have been eaten in Europe since ancient times. The big garden strawberry was born in Brittany in the 18th century, from a cross between a Chilean strawberry brought back in 1714 by the officer Amédée-François Frézier and a Virginia strawberry. Plougastel then became its capital.
Origin and growing regions
France grows strawberries in several major areas:
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Lot-et-Garonne, Périgord)
- Brittany (Plougastel)
- Occitanie (Nîmes)
- Provence
Périgord and Nîmes strawberries have a PGI.
Benefits
The strawberry is as light as it is delicious:
- Very rich in vitamin C: A 150 g serving covers daily needs.
- Low in calories: About 33 kcal per 100 g.
- Antioxidants: Its red pigments are anthocyanins.
- Hydrating: About 90 % water.
Varieties
- Gariguette: Elongated and tangy, the first of the season.
- Ciflorette: Very fragrant and sweet.
- Mara des bois: Tastes like wild strawberries, until autumn.
- Charlotte: Round and sweet, picked all summer.
- Wild strawberry: Tiny and very fragrant.
Zero waste
- Storing: In the fridge, unwashed and with stalks on, on kitchen paper: 2 to 3 days. Take them out 30 min before eating.
- Freezing: Hulled, spread out on a tray then bagged: up to 12 months.
- Nothing goes to waste: Damaged strawberries make a sauce, jam or smoothie. The stalks flavour infused water.