The Great British Strawberry Season

Image: Garden Organic

It is that time of year again when British strawberries ripen and herald the start of Summer. June is the start of the British strawberry season, synonymous with Summer they are only in season for a brief time, from early June through to August.

By far the best strawberries to buy have to be from a local producer. A day out strawberry picking can be fun; supermarkets may sell the cotton wool impostors cheaply but the flavour is incomparable to home grown fruits.

Strawberries were originally called strewberries because when growing they appear to have been thrown about. After various name changes they ended up as strawberries after the straw that was used as a mulch to surround them when growing.

In medieval Great Britain newly weds enjoyed strawberries, borage and soured cream for their wedding breakfast believing them to be an aphrodisiac. The heart shaped fruit has long been a symbol of purity, passion, and healing. In the 18th century farmers would fill baskets with the berries and tie them to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves who, it was believed, could help them produce a good supply of milk.

5 Facts About Strawberries

1. 5 strawberries provide more vitamin C than an entire orange 

2. 100 grams of strawberries contain approx 30 calories

3. Strawberries were cultivated by the Romans as early as 200 BC

4. Roughly 27,000 kilos of strawberries are eaten during the Wimbledon Championships

5. On average there are 200 tiny seeds on each berry

So pour the Pimms, get set for Wimbledon and enjoy the British strawberry season! 

Puddings!

The other day I took a trip to the picturesque Cumbrian village of Cartmell. Was it the 12th Century Priory, a day at the races or the gastronomic delights of its Michelin Star restaurant that led me there........

Nope, it was the award winning sticky toffee pudding!

Cartmel is the home of Sticky Toffee.  Handmade, using 100% natural ingredients, many sourced from the same local suppliers and sold in the Village Shop, in my opinion there’s nothing to match it. That’s why Cartmel is the home of Sticky Toffee.

 

For those of you who are tempted and not planning to take a trip to Cumbria then these award winning puddings are available on the Cartmel Village Shop website.