Nutritional value
Fruits and vegetables that are brightly coloured are especially nutritious, so serve summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, bilberries, and red and blackcurrants as often as possible during their short season. Their 'high nutrient density' means that for the small number of calories they contain they have a high level of nutrients - anti-oxidants, vitamin C and useful amounts of several minerals and fibre.
Preparing summer berries
Roll raspberries about gently on damp paper to remove dust (putting them in water will ruin them). Rinse other berries briefly under the cold tap in a colander. Dry at once by rolling them about on paper: kitchen paper on top of a thick newspaper is ideal. Hull strawberries after washing and drying them, or they could spoil.
Serving summer berries
* Mash roughly into plain, creamy yoghurt; add the merest speck of sugar, or sweeten with orange juice. Put a whole berry on top.
* For a brilliant colour display, mix strawberries or raspberries with peaches/nectarines in a little orange juice; add a few blackcurrants or blackberries and a blob of creme fraiche. (Blackcurrants have huge amounts of vitamin C but taste sour).
* Make an orange jelly (see Nutrition, 22 January 2004) and pack with red berries.
Strawberries
Commercially grown strawberries now often have little flavour. To improve them:
* Slice, then marinate for 30 minutes in orange juice; add custard or creme fraiche to make a pudding.
* Heat whole strawberries for one minute with a few teaspoons of water and a pinch of sugar. Serve warm.
* Mix with raspberries pureed with creamy milk.
* Dip the tips in melted dark chocolate as a treat.
* Grow some alpine strawberries! Exquisite flavour and very easy.
There are dozens more fruity ideas in Mary Whiting's 'Dump The Junk!'
(Moonscape, 7.99)
