Strawberry

Strawberries (Fragaria) tickle all the senses. They are the first summer berry to ripen. Today, strawberry is cultivated nearly everywhere in Finland, from Hanko to Utsjoki. New varieties are introduced to the market every year.

The most well-known cultivars in Finland include Jonsok, Polka, Honeoye, Sonata, Malwina, Rumba, Lumotar and Salsa. These varieties are great for freezing, and the strawberry cultivars on the market are usually selected to be excellent for both using fresh and preserving.

Because of their softness and juiciness, fresh strawberries do not keep long. Store your berries in the fridge, and not for very long. Properly stored strawberries are incredibly tasty.

The strawberry has many nutritional properties. Thanks to its high water content, the strawberry contains very little energy, making it the perfect light snack. Strawberries are rich in folic acid, vitamins B and C, as well as many important minerals and other micronutrients.

Strawberries can simply be washed and eaten, or they can be used in jams, juice and cakes, for example. Strawberries can be frozen whole without adding sugar, but they may become soft and mushy in the freezer. The best results come from slicing up your strawberries and adding a bit of sugar before freezing them. One litre of strawberries weighs about 500 grams.