One of the perks of moving to the South three years ago is being 45 minutes away from some strawberry farms. While living in NYC I tried to eat local by shopping at farmers markets, and I continue this practice in Atlanta. My ideal self eats locally frequently. My real self, on the other hand? Not so much. I'm grateful I had the time to drive with my family to pick strawberries yesterday. But the endeavor to eat local doesn't end there. Now we have to store many of the strawberries we picked so we can have year-long access to these tastier, more nutrient-dense local treats!
The first step is to wash the strawberries. Once the strawberries have air dried completely, hull the strawberries: take a knife to the top of the strawberry and turn the strawberry around the knife to remove the green stem and much of the firm white portion underneath it. Cut larger strawberries in half. Then spread a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet. Place the strawberries face down on the parchment paper, making sure they are not touching each other. Place in freezer for 2-3 hours. Then put the frozen strawberries into a resealable freezer bag. Remove all access air from the bag. Label the bag with the date and enjoy your strawberries within one year!
