The Passion behind The California Strawberries

In honor of National Strawberry Sundae Day, I wanted to share the rest of my experience from my visit to California, as well as some of the things I learned about the strawberry industry along the way.

After spending time exploring Monterey as a guest of the California Strawberry Commission, we set out to meet some of the farmers.

Now before I even headed out I was bombarded with messages from Californians (who knew so many read this blog?) telling me that I was about to taste the absolute best strawberries in the world. I was skeptical, but it turns out that the coast of California is actually the best place in the world to grow strawberries. Something to do with those warm sunny days, cool foggy nights and moderate temperatures  they have going on over there – well, that combined with sandy soil and creating perfect growing conditions.

And after tasting them, I have to agree they were truly the yummiest around.

And so then I had to wonder, why? Why are California strawberries yummier in California?

Well, it’s all about the natural elements of the product during shipping. After visiting the farmers I learned even more about the state-of-the-art, post-harvest techniques that has been know to separate California from other producers. Once strawberries are picked, they are rushed to a cooling facility where huge fans draw out field heat. When cooled, the strawberries are loaded onto refrigerated trucks for same – day shipment. Keeping the fruit at 32 degrees Fahrenheit during transport helps ensure a quality product for consumers. Of course, the further the distance, the longer the commute, and well, the bit more toll on the berry.

That’s not to say they aren’t delicious here, they just truly are even more so in the West Coast – yes, I give them that.Best thing about California strawberries – other then how incredibly delicious they are and what a huge demand they have world-wide – is that they are available year round.  In winter, strawberries ship from Southern California; production moves north with the warming spring temperatures. Volume peaks in April, May and June when production in all districts overlaps. Weekly volume averages five to six million trays from early April through mid July, and more than 50% of the crop is harvested after the first of June.

The statewide fresh production averages 43,000 pounds per acre, per season. California grows 88% of the nation’s strawberries, providing a delicious year-round supply. That’s a lot of berries people, and I am sure I must’ve eaten a good portion of that percentage during my time there!

It takes a village to make all this strawberry magic happen, from pickers to growers to distributors to consumers. A lot of those areas are monitored so that guidelines are met and practices protected by the California Strawberry Commission. They also do a great job in many other areas, including training, safety and research.

As for the workers, I will say this: though it is true I didn’t visit every farm and didn’t take hours to monitor the laborers and how they were treated and their overall well-being, I can say that the farms I did visit, the farmers I did meet and the workers I did briefly speak to were all committed not only to the industry and the business, but also to the well-being of the environment as a whole from the grounds to the people who work them.

Beyond politics and what’s politically correct, the truth is most of the consumers who enjoy the strawberries can afford to do so because of the workers who immigrate to pick, clean, and pack them for us. The business is able to meet environmental as well as economic challenges for the same reasons. We can’t begin to understand the true struggles or success of a people by sitting behind a computer. Even I, who can relate to what being the child of a poor immigrant in this country is like, can’t speak for the people who work these farms. But I did like what I saw and learned during my time in Monterey, and I hope that a lot of the work that the California Strawberry Commission is doing along with many of their farmers, from assisting in the enforcement of fair and safe work environments to providing the highest quality produce available – is something that more industries pick up and implement for themselves.

Suffice to know that there is more to a good California Strawberry than just great weather and good soil, there are also a lot of people who have been committed to its growth and delivery for generations, helping make this great fruit available for so many to enjoy.

And so that you can enjoy your very own strawberry sundae today, here is a recipe from the California Strawberry Commission:

Roasted Strawberry Sundae

Roasted Strawberry Sauce:

4 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and quartered

3/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

Chocolate Sauce:

3 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon strawberry or raspberry liqueur

9 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 pound) fresh California strawberries, stemmed and quartered

Directions

To make Roasted Strawberry Sauce, heat oven to 350°F. In blender, purée 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries; strain through fine-meshed strainer, pushing on strawberry purée with a spoon. Combine purée with remaining 3 cups strawberries and sugar. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds; add bean and seeds to strawberry mixture. Let stand 10 minutes; transfer to shallow baking dish large enough to hold strawberries in one layer. Roast in oven about 20 minutes or until strawberries are cooked and juices have reduced to a syrup.

To make Chocolate Sauce, in saucepan, bring sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add cream and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring, until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; add liqueur.

Spoon 2 tablespoons Chocolate Sauce in the bottom of each of 6 sundae glasses. Add a (3/4-cup) scoop ice cream; top with 2 tablespoons Roasted Strawberry Sauce. Repeat layers. Top with 1/4 cup fresh strawberries.

Nutritional Information

Makes 6 sundaes.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 784 calories; 43 g fat; 128 mg cholesterol; 171 mg sodium; 100 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 10 g protein

For more recipes using strawberries visit the California Strawberry Commission website’s recipe page here.

Disclosure: The visit to Monterey, CA is an all-expense paid trip provided by the California Strawberry Commission. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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Tags: food, travel
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