Eat Strawberries in Italy

Fresh succulent Strawberries (Italian: Fragole)


Fresh succulent strawberries especially those bought in food markets that are only open in the morning. One such example is the Mercato Centrale in Florence. The strawberries bought there were tantalising that I'm still craving for Italian strawberries now.

In Italy the most famous region for strawberries is Lago di Nemi, a crater lake in the Alban Hills overlooking Rome. The crater walls capture the warmth of the sun and because the crater rim is unbroken the basin is shielded from cool winds.

Source: About.com

I guess it would be interesting to pay a visit if you are in Rome for a longer period of time.

About.com also taught me how to choose strawberries. They should be vibrant, shiny scarlet and blemish free. If the tips are paler, or green, the berries are probably not ripe and could be tasteless. The berries should also look firm. If their color is dull and flat, or if they look dry and deflated, they may be old. And check the berries underneath if you are buying a plastic box of strawberries else you may find moldy ones beneath. Lastly, sniff your strawberries - a heady rush of strawberry aromas should greet you. If it does not, the chances are that the strawberries won't taste delicious no matter how good they look.

An interesting tip in About.com - De Agostini's La Mia Cucina suggest that you do not wash them unless it's absolutely necessary, but rather wipe them with a soft cloth to clean them. Hmm truth is when I was in Italy, unless there is a water fountain nearby (which truthfully speaking, they do exist in numbers), else I will just eat the strawberries without rinsing because it is simply irresistible!

Source: About.com