what you should know

A confession: the crisp, modern strawberries that you find in supermarkets, the ones fruit nostalgists bemoan as having no aroma, no flavor, no melting texture?

We love them. Plenty of aroma. Plenty of flavor. And while their texture is not exactly melting, we generally prefer them to the small, delicate strawberries from farmers markets, which tend to be always on the verge of rotting in the carton.

that's the point Then again, strawberries are not known for their shelf life. It's a good idea to buy strawberries the day you're going to eat them. Otherwise, keep them in the refrigerator and then hull and wash them just before you're ready to use them.

high on your own supply Growing strawberries is pretty straightforward, and when they're right outside your door, you can pick them at the height of their drunken fruitiness. We're in the heart of "pick your own" season. To find a strawberry patch near you, search at Local Harvest. Or just set out in the woods to pick fraises des bois.

match made in heaven How did strawberries and double cream (48% butterfat) become the official dish of Wimbledon? A century ago, strawberries were just coming into season at the end of June.

what you need

A strawberry huller is a unitasker that's good to have. You may dig it out from the back of the drawer only six times a year, but you'll be glad to have its clipping power when you need it.

Is there a better milkshake than a strawberry milkshake? (No.) Resist the urge to buy one of those retro drink mixer things. Just use a blender.

For the lowdown on selecting and storing strawberries, consult Aliza Green's solid Field Guide to Produce.

One of the things we love about Chez Panisse Fruit is Alice Waters' understanding that sometimes the best recipe for ripe strawberries is to stand over the sink and eat them right from the carton.

what you do

Sfloglia Trattoria caused a ruckus with the savory strawberry pasta dish upon which this unforgettable spaghetti with strawberries is based.

Ripe strawberries tossed in peppered raspberry vinegar, from Barbara Kafka's Food for Friends, plays off the classic strawberries in balsamic and black pepper.

Cook & Eat's baked strawberry pudding is easy and airy, letting the perfumed heat of the strawberries come through.

Still yanking up rhubarb? Whip up a compote and pour it over chilled strawberries with mint.

For a less indulgent take on the classic Wimbledon dessert of strawberries and cream, try a bowl of strawberries with yogurt and honey.

With cornmeal and strawberries, you could make hogwash's strawberry crostata with cornmeal crust or eggbeater's "crazy biscuit" strawberry shortcake.

Featured recipe: Speaking of shortcake, we're itching to try these strawberry chocolate chunk shortcakes. The recipe comes from Amy of Eggs on Sunday. It's the featured recipe for this week's Root Source Challenge.