Here in Maine, it’s finally strawberry season! It’s a short-lived and much-anticipated time of year….local berries grown in fields, without the help of greenhouses, are usually only available for about 3-4 weeks, from about mid-june to early to mid July (at least here in Southern Maine). Every year my family and I look forward to our annual strawberry picking day at a local farm. In addition to picking LOTS of berries, the day always includes the requisite picnic lunch, jump in the river, and icecream. Back at home, we freeze a lot of the berries, and also make a few batches of jam or preserves.
One of my favorites to make is Strawberry-Vanilla Preserves. The berries on their own are delicious, but the addition of vanilla makes it absolutely heavenly. You can find the recipe in my book Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin. You can also watch me make it here (above), on NewscenterMaine’s 207 Kitchen !
Video Credit: NewscenterMaine / WCSH6