Strawberries

It's funny how things just happen unexpectedly. 
I popped out late this afternoon with a pile of post, most of it work related and one parcel following a sale in my Folksy shop. I decided to walk past the fruit shop to see if they had any strawberries as I have half a carton of cream wasting in the fridge. Well, it was after 4pm and the fruit shop had packed up for the day.
So, dilemma, do I go home and not have a pudding tonight or should I see if the pick your own field has any picked.


No pudding was not an option so I called by the strawberry field, I've never been in the 3 years I've lived here but I've heard they are supposed to be good. The lady in the shed had quite a few punnets picked but it turns out to be £1 cheaper if you pick yourself so despite the grey sky off I went.


Slightly concerned at first because I thought the punnet was too big and I'd be there all night. Also wondered why the few other people picking were way off in the distance as if they'd found the best ones and there were none near where I was at the entrance. Anyway I soon started finding some, quite small at first and then I got a bit more adventurous seeking out the big ones. It was really rather satisfying and fun and I can honestly say I only ate 3, just to test the quality. They seemed very nice and in 26 mins I had filled my kilo punnet which I thought wasn't bad going as I haven't done this since I was a kid. Just got back before it rained, excellent timing!


Tonight I've tried them with black pepper which was also a first for me, really delicious. I have to say these are some of the tastiest and most fragrant strawberries I've had in years. I don't think the hydroponic ones are a patch on the field ones.

It's been a bit of a strawberry related week here as my nanna was featured in the local paper as being probably the oldest strawberry picker in England as she nears her 101st birthday next month. She still goes picking to a local farm where she turns the strawberries into her award winning jam. Following the newspaper coverage, our local ITV news programme has been to visit her and filmed her doing the picking and then with her jam, cakes and bread she still makes. I hope I'm still making and doing at that age!

This has got me thinking that I might try making some jam now I've found a great strawberry field. Ah, that is assuming the oven will be hot enough to boil it!