Every year, in the state of Oregon, there is the anticipation and then the lines in the morning (including people lining up even before the Portland Farmers Market opens) for the famous Hood Strawberries. They only have a season of a few weeks in June, but are so sweet, red, and juicy and clearly, people think so worth it. But of course Hoods are not the only strawberries Oregon has to offer. Let’s look at some more Oregon Strawberries in the Summer. Overall, I truly do believe after eating strawberries in many a state that Oregon strawberries truly are the best. Unlike other states, they spend a long time on the plant that distinguishes Oregon strawberries overall from other strawberries, and they are more sweet thanks to our season of warm days and cool nights and plenty of rain.
About Oregon Strawberries
Last month at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, the Oregon Strawberry Commission had a stand at the market. Visitors were invited to taste four kinds of strawberries, and then with a sticker vote for their favorites. In the running that day included the varieties of (with some photos to show the comparison when they cut up):
- Sweet Ann: this relatively new varietal of has a firm shape that is a little more elongated (for instance, versus the more heart shaped photogenic Seascape, or the rounder Hoods) and a berry flavor that is not too sweet or tart and a medium firm texture. You may find these around all summer.
- Shuksan: these strawberries are among the first to appear in the market in mid to late May. With its more firm texture they are better for heat and freezing then Hoods which make them great for preserves and jams, baking, or let them soak with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar (a tablespoon per cup or two of strawberries) and pour them over desserts, or you can use them to make strawberry bruschetta. These I think had the best aroma of the four I tried here.
- Seascape: these have a longer season from late May to September – which means you can still get them now! – and have the best looking shape I think because it is a bit more firm then the others varietals (except for Albions, and many California strawberries you may find at the chain grocery stores, California has bred its strawberries to be a lot of firmer to stand up to shipping). The Seascapes has good body but not too hard. This is the type that I used in the two recipes I share below, and have a bit of tartness along with the sweetness.
- Hood: very sweet thanks to high sugar content, but are best uncooked since they are more fragile and can get mushy easily. I like them with cream, , and in ice cream, and even when they aren’t looking as pretty I just muddle them in a cocktail. They have a brief 2-3 week period when they are available may be among the most famous variety of the Oregon strawberries. Hood Strawberries are delicate so can’t withstand shipping long distances, and are always on sale to you within a day of being picked because they ripen so quickly. Hood Strawberry season is over now (though you may find it frozen or in jams and such)
Voting results!
