Cleaning Strawberries

Because they are so porous, strawberries will absorb the water, causing them to become waterlogged and lose some of their flavor. Remove the strawberries from the refrigerator at least an hour before they are going to be consumed. They are most flavorful at room temperature. To clean the berries to consume or use for your strawberry recipes, follow the steps below.

• Go through the strawberries and discard any that are damaged, bruised or spoiled.
• To clean strawberries, gently wipe off each berry with a wet paper towel. If it is necessary to wash the strawberries, place them in a colander and gently rinse them under cool water before removing the stems. If the stem is removed the water will have a greater affect on the texture and flavor of the strawberries.
• After washing, immediately pat the strawberries dry with a paper towel.
• If any of the berries have small blemish spots, remove that area with a paring knife.