Chiles Strawberries

At least last weekend, Chiles, just west of Crozet, had plenty of strawberries. They were more picked over than last year when we went in May, but we still harvested 12 pounds ($1.50/lb). Crozet is also a great place for peaches. (See prior post.) The season for that hasn't really started up yet.

With the flat of strawberries we picked along with a few quarts from chesterfield berry farm closer to richmond, we had a family jam session. Mashing berries, mixing in sugar, and boiling pectin took up the bulk of an afternoon, but the fruits of that labor last all year. Not all the strawberries turned into jam. There was a strawberry shortcake and plenty eaten as is. In a head to head trial, these berries wallop the bloated, fibrous versions that come out of california. The strawberry milk shake mixed up by Chile's at their roadside mega-stand is incredible.