When I was growing up, I rarely ate any strawberries or even anything strawberry-flavored. My mother detested strawberries, so they didn't make an appearance in our house very often. Generally speaking, I was fine with that because supermarket strawberries - the only kind I had access to in my tiny town - are, frankly, terrible. Fast forward 20-odd years and a cross-country move when I accompanied a friend on a trip to a local strawberry farm, where the fruits were deep red through and through, soft, and filled with flavor. This was the first time I truly tasted a strawberry and I instantly began to make up for lost time, finding as many uses as I could for these tantalizing treats.

strawberries in a colander

Now I plan a trip to the local pick-your-own berry farm at least once per year, filling my basket with crimson beauties and dreaming of the jams, pies, and other delicious items I will prepare. Being the overly optimistic person that I am, I always end up with far more berries than I have time to use before they go bad (which isn't very long when they are plucked at the peak of ripeness). Then I heed Southern Living's advice and freeze a passel of berries for later use in strawberries, mixed drinks, and other recipes. In the meantime, of course, I head to the EYB Library to search for new and interesting ways to use these delicious morsels. There are dozens of books dedicated to strawberries, and loads of recipes featuring the fruit, including the Member favorites below. What is your go-to strawberry recipe?