Revisiting Summer Strawberries

So I am a few months removed from these original photos, but it seemed like a good time to post them as we are in the midst of a fall rainfall.

This past summer, I made my annual trek out to the farmlands to pick strawberries. I went to a farm I have been going to for the last few years. It’s a lot quieter and closer than the other one and although it has less bells and whistles, I don’t really need to do much other than pick fruit! I went to Emma Lea Farms on Westham Island, about a 25 minute drive for me. Westham Island is so beautiful and feels very untouched. There’s a short wooden bridge to the island and it only fits one car at a time, so that tells you how quiet the Island is. Along with Emma Lea Farms, there’s a winery, herb farm, and bird sanctuary.

In late May, I get that familiar feeling – it’s almost strawberry season! I start looking at the Emma Lea website for picking dates and schedule accordingly. Usually in mid-June is when I make my trip and I start looking around my building’s recycling area for a box up for the challenge (go cardboard over plastic, doesn’t trap heat in). I selected a box and off I went! Unfortunately I didn’t pick a sturdy enough box (nor did I get a wagon to help me transport) and I had a very uncomfortable walk back to the pay station. Let’s just say that carrying 22lb of strawberries in a quickly wilting box makes you regret things…fast!

Anyway, I somehow made it home and I was off to the processing races!

Out of the 22lbs: I made jam, ice cream, and froze the rest. Mother Woo did get some and I set some aside for myself to eat. But for those who have picked strawberries before, they don’t last very long. I was proud that I managed to get all of them washed and processed by the end of the day. Included in the products was a roasted strawberry ice cream (David Lebovitz to the rescue!) which I amped up with a bit of white chocolate. Lebovitz recommends you roast the berries to remove some of the moisture as well as pump up the flavour. And it did!

The fruits of my labour:

Strawberry Ice Cream & Strawberry Jam