Strawberry season is upon us! The closer we get to May, the more strawberries will be available at market, but catch early varieties from McConnell Farms at North Asheville Tailgate Market and Ivy Creek Family Farm at North Asheville and Weaverville markets. In a few short weeks, you’ll be able to find more strawberries from Bright Branch Farms (East Asheville Tailgate Market), Flying Cloud Farm (North Asheville and River Arts District markets), and Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, Black Mountain, West Asheville, River Arts District, Weaverville, and East Asheville markets).
Of course, fresh and locally grown strawberries are delicious all on their own, but add a splash of bright sweetness to your spinach and arugula salads, fruit smoothies, spring picnic charcuterie boards, and more. Strawberries are very versatile and pair well with both sweet and savory recipes. Get creative and try out these strawberry salsa and strawberry rhubarb sauce recipes.
A surprisingly delicious and delightfully fresh strawberry rendition of salsa might hit your taste buds just right. Tomatoes are still a ways off, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait for salsa–especially when markets have all your ingredients. Start by washing a quart of strawberries, two green onions, and a bunch of cilantro. Remove strawberry tops and chop into small pieces. Slice the green onions and chop the cilantro. Add all ingredients into a medium bowl along with the juice of one lime and half a teaspoon of salt. Enjoy with tortilla chips. Find green onions and cilantro from Lee’s One Fortune Farm.
Strawberries and rhubarb are a timeless pairing that feels both nostalgic and endlessly versatile. Rhubarb’s pink and green stalk is technically a vegetable, but its culinary uses are more fruit-like. The uncooked flavor is extremely tart, so it’s rarely eaten raw, but cooking it with strawberries deliciously balances its tartness. This silky strawberry rhubarb sauce is easy to make, deeply flavorful, and adaptable to everything from breakfast to dessert. Start by cleaning and dicing eight stalks of rhubarb into one inch pieces. Clean and remove the stem from a quart of strawberries then roughly chop. Add rhubarb and strawberries to a medium pot and add two tablespoons of lemon juice and half a cup of sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover, stir frequently, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is tender and thickened. Enjoy this strawberry rhubarb sauce in homemade pies, cobblers, and oat bars or drizzle over pancakes, ice cream, or yogurt. Find rhubarb now from McConnell Farms.
At spring markets, find a variety of produce including leeks, spring onions, collards, bok choy, turnips, radishes, parsnips, and carrots. You’ll also find farm-fresh eggs, cheese, bread, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.