Facts about French strawberries, how to choose the best ones, store them, their health benefits and strawberry recipes. There's even a popular French expression using them!
Strawberry Seasons
Strawberry season in France is from April to July (Spring; Summer). Some varieties are available up until September. August/September is high season for wild berries (fraise des bois) in the mountains.
Strawberries (Fraises) in France: History & A Festival
Louis XIV's botanist, La Quintinie, grew strawberries for the King at the Potager du Roi in Versailles.
It wasn't until the 18th century that botanist and explorer, Amédée-François Frézier (pronounced like the word for strawberry plant in French, 'fray-say-aye') brought over more varieties from Chili and planted them in the famous strawberry area of Plougastel, Brittany (see Tourisme Bretagne's list of local producers for more).
There's even a small museum for the fruit, Musée de Fraise in the village of Plougastel-Daoulas. Every second Sunday in June is la Fête des Fraises, a day of festivities with tastings of jams, cakes - and the famous berries from la Finistère, in Brittany! Dances, floats and strawberry costumes are all celebrated in this town. For 2024, the theme is "Les Jeux Olympiques' - I say that sounds berry sportive!
Thanks to Monsieur Frézier, les fraises have grown to about 600 varieties today. According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, over 78,000 tons were harvested in France in 2022.
French Strawberry Varieties
Most popular French strawberry varieties are the Gariguettes. These long, thin and slightly acidic berries are one of the first strawberries to arrive in Spring until mid July.
Then come the juicy and aromatic lighter Ciflorette, the deep red Clery and Charlotte and as of July, the extra fragrant Mara des bois taste like wild strawberries.
How Best to Choose: Are Darker Strawberries Sweeter?
In general, strawberrires are usually sweeter if darker - but some varieties can fool us. Some deep red strawberries can actually be more acidic than lighter ones.
My general rule of thumb is to pick the shiniest red with an intact green pedoncule, calyx or stalk.
How to Store Strawberries
- Strawberries are best stored OUTSIDE the fridge and consumed within 2 days.
If stored in a single layer (not piled on top of each other as they are often sold), they can last longer. So best to buy small quantities and consume quickly.
- If bruised or begin to look tired, then they are best cooked or baked in a compote, in a strawberry almond tart or strawberry clafoutis.
- Best eaten at room temperature to appreciate their flavour.
How Do I Clean Strawberries?
To best keep their vitamin content, wash them using a damp cloth BEFORE hulling and cutting them. Never soak strawberries in water.
Benefits of Eating Strawberries
Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, fibre and good antioxidants. As with all fruit, if possible, choose organic ('bio' in France), as it's best to avoid those sprayed with pesticides.
They are surprisingly also low in sugar and considered a low-glycemic (GI) fruit. This is good news for diabetics, as they help regulate blood sugar.
Slang French Strawberry Expression
Ramener sa fraise
Familiar French expression
Literally translated as bringing your strawberry, means talking too much about your opinion when nobody has asked you and has nothing to do with you.
What Goes With Strawberries?
Although good with just about any dessert, such as French toast (pain perdu), strawberries are delicious when paired with rhubarb, elderflower, vanilla, rose, orange blossom, apricots, mango, redcurrants, melon, mint and basil.
Here are a few ideas to whet your appetite:
- Vanilla: serve them with a crème caramel and in a berry crème brûlée.
- Lemons and limes: the perfect sweet and acidic combination with a creamy lemon ice cream.
- Pistachio: top them on pistachio ice cream, pistachio pastry cream in pistachio tartlets and on top of French butter biscuits from Brittany, Palets Bretons.
French Strawberry Recipes
Just a few of our favourite French recipes with fresh strawberries in season in both Spring and Summer.
Strawberry Clafoutis - traditionally made with cherries in France, try making this baked custard with strawberries. This recipe is gluten free and adapts to most summer fruits.
Add strawberries to this rhubarb compote - it's a healthy recipe using very little sugar compared to jam plus versatile in many desserts. Such as this one below!
Rhubarb Crumbles with Strawberries and Rose - my French twist to a British crumble. These are individually served chilled with a rhubarb and strawberry compote, a white chocolate and rose mousse and topped with toasted oat crumble.
Strawberry Almond Tart - This looks like a cake but it's an upside down almond cream tart filled with strawberries. Decorate with even more.
Berry Gratin - A light crème brûlée for the summer, except doesn't require a water bath in the oven. Instead it's bathed in a vanilla custard and just toasted under the grill. Just make it with strawberries or add other berries.
Delicious in this macaron berry sherry trifle for two. Topped with berries, it's a patriotic red white and blue dessert, one of our top French food ideas for Bastille Day.
Last but not least, add a little surprise with some tart berries or wild strawberries to a simple green salad.
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