Strawberries are now a year-round delight, but there’s nothing better than getting them when they’re in season. My mom swears by the ones grown in Plant City, Florida, which start showing up in stores in late February. Those are plenty good, but I covet the ones at the local u-pick farm down the road. I get up early, don my dorky giant straw hat to mitigate the sunlight, and get out there crouching in the straw with the rest of the strawberry fanatics.
At first I devour those berries straight-up, but then the urge hits to conjure up strawberry desserts and treats. Pies, bars, crisps, custards, sauces—you name it. If it stars strawberries, I’m in.
Here are our favorite strawberry desserts to make any time the fancy strikes you. If you have more berries than you can keep up with, try our trick for keeping them fresh and perky in the fridge for over a week.