Gariguette strawberries
Season
- Peak season
- Available
- Not available
Did you know?
Strawberries are part of the Rosaceae family. Originally from the Americas, strawberries first appeared in Brittany in the 18th century and obviously had an impact, with Brittany becoming France’s first strawberry production area in the 1930s. The strawberries we eat today are the result of a cross between two species, one introduced in Europe in the 16th century and the second in 1714, from Chile, by a man named Mr Frézier.
Strawberries are not a fruit! What we eat is actually the flower receptacle. It bears the fruits of the strawberry plant, called achenes, which are the little yellow dots on the surface of the strawberry.
Gariguettes are the earliest of the spring strawberry varieties and are appreciated for their exceptional taste qualities.
Our strawberries are grown as a protected crop and are naturally pollinated by bumblebees. Biological control is also used, with predatory insects used to naturally combat aphids and thrips.
Our Prince de Bretagne strawberries are a real guarantee of freshness! Our strawberries are harvested and packaged directly by hand on the farm. Strawberries are actually sold during harvesting ready for shipping on the same day. Prince de Bretagne strawberries therefore arrive in-store the day after harvest, so the delay between harvest and sale is less than 24 hours.
Cooking tips
HOW TO CHOOSE GARIGUETTE STRAWBERRIES
Ripe strawberries are uniform in colour and shiny, and the calyx (the green leafy collar on the top of the berry) should be very green and fresh looking. Gariguette strawberries are particularly fragrant, so don’t hesitate to smell them! They are easily recognised because of their elongated shape.
Also remember to check that there are no crushed strawberries at the bottom of the tray. This isn’t usually a problem with our strawberries because they have been placed carefully one by one by the picker.
HOW TO PREPARE GARIGUETTE STRAWBERRIES
Start by washing the strawberries in a colander under running water. Most importantly, be careful not to let them soak in water. They will absorb the water and lose their flavour.
Don’t wash strawberries until you are ready to prepare or eat them as they will keep better like this.
Now remove the green calyx or collar using the tip of a knife (don’t be tempted to do this before!). Then, depending on your recipe, cut your Gariguette strawberries (diced, quartered etc.) or leave them whole.
HOW TO COOK GARIGUETTE STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries are often eaten raw. But they are also suitable for quick cooking:
- to make coulis and jams, the strawberries must be cooked at a low temperature. Allow 10 to 15 minutes in a saucepan for a coulis, 25 minutes for jam.
- You can also heat them in the oven, protected under a dough crust (puff, doughnut or brick pastry etc.) or in a papillote of greaseproof paper. Then cook for 5 minutes (gas mark 9, 240°C or 465°F).
- Strawberries can also be quickly pan-fried in butter.
HOW TO STORE GARIGUETTE STRAWBERRIES
Ideally, enjoy Gariguette strawberries on the day you buy them.
To store strawberries, avoid the refrigerator which can spoil their taste and select a cool place. They can be kept for 48 hours in a cool place, whole and unhulled in their tray.
If you have bought more strawberries than you can eat, make jams, coulis or ice cream. Avoid freezing.
Cooking suggestions
Gariguettes should definitely be invited over for Easter: they are so tender, fragrant and fruit. Juicy and fondant, Gariguettes release sweet and tangy aromas. It is a very aromatic variety with juicy, tender and moderately firm flesh.
They are perfect just as they are, of course, but they can also be garnished with whipped cream or fromage blanc and served with Breton palet biscuits or crêpes dentelle. You can enjoy them in all kinds of ways: plain, in fruit salads, in pies, mousses, tiramisu, smoothies, sorbets, jam etc.
You can also cook them for a savoury dish with tomatoes or peppers, for example.
Chef’s tip
You don’t need to add sugar to Gariguette strawberries as they are naturally sweet and tangy.
Nutrition
Strawberries are high in vitamin C and folic acid (vitamin B9). They are also a source of manganese.
| Energy (kj/kcal) | 148/35 |
|---|---|
| Fat (g) | 0.18 |
| of which saturated fat (g) | 0.018 |
| Carbohydrate (g) |
6.14 |
| of which sugar (g) | 4.73 |
| Dietary fibre (g) | 1.5 |
|
Protein (g) |
0.65 |
| Salt (g) | 0.052 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 67.4 |
| Manganese (mg) | 0.3 |
| Folic acid (B9 in μg) | 70.5 |
