Linda Larson over at about.com wrote this about strawberries, a favorite spring Farmer’s Market fruit.

Strawberries are a fabulous fruit; so delicious, sweet and tart. They’re perfect in these quick and easy strawberry recipes.

Now for some strawberry facts:

•Strawberries are not a true berry! Botanically, they are a pseudocarp, or ‘false fruit’ because the seeds (about 200 per berry) are on the outside, not inside, of the fruit.
•More than half of eight-year-old children picked the strawberry as their favorite fruit.
•Strawberries are very fragile, best handled gently and used quickly. Do not rinse or hull berries until right before you’re going to eat them or use them in a recipe. And use them within 1-2 days of purchase.
•Strawberries were considered an aphrodisiac. They were cultivated by the Romans around 200 B.C. Legend has it that if you find a ‘double’ strawberry and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you’ll fall in love.
•Strawberries are so good for you! A cup of the sweet fruit has about 50 calories, and provides a good amount of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, and fiber.

If you’ve never picked your own strawberries, you need to put that task on your life list. The berries don’t travel well because they are so fragile, so most commercial berries are a hardier strain. You won’t believe the flavor, tenderness, and juiciness of berries that you pick yourself. And think about growing your own strawberries. All you need is a strawberry pot and sunshine.

You can freeze strawberries to preserve them for winter use, although the fruit is available year round. Slice them, sprinkle with sugar, let stand for about an hour, then pack into freezer containers and freeze for up to six months. You can also preserve the fruit by making Freezer Jam.

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

1loaf frozen pound cake, thawed
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Using a potato masher, mash half of the strawberries. Stir in the sliced strawberries and chill. Beat cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Slice pound cake; place each piece on serving plate, top with strawberry mixture and a dollop of cream. Serve immediately.

Here’s a vegetable that practically screams “spring”! (And no, vegetables don’t scream despite what some jokesters try to tell vegetarians!)