The Garden Strawberry or the strawberry is the most widely cultivated berry throughout the world. The strawberry plant belongs to the family of the Rosaceae, and is often referred to as the accessory fruit. The fleshy part of the fruit is derived not from the ovaries, but from the peg at the bottom of the bowl shaped hypanthium that holds the ovaries. The garden strawberry was first grown in Europe in the 18th century and represents the accidental cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America, which is rich in flavour, and the Fragaria chiloensis from Chile, which is large in size. Today, these strawberries have been replaced by the Woodland Strawberries, which have been commercially cultivated.
Strawberries are a treat to the taste buds, eyes and senses. Apart from being so delicious, these berries are a rich source of nutrition too. They are rich sources of vitamins A, B, and C, and also contain ample amounts of calcium, phosphorous, potassium, carbohydrates, etc. They are also rich in Folic acid, which helps in preventing birth related defects.
Nutritive Value : Per 100 gms.
Vitamin A : 60 I.U.
Vitamin C : 60 mg.
Strawberries were cultivated by the Romans as far back in history as 200BC. In the medieval times, a soup made from strawberries, borage and soured cream was traditionally served to newly-weds at their wedding breakfast. When the colonists arrived in America in 1780, the native Americans were already eating the strawberries. The first strawberry hybrid was developed in USA. Though strawberries are mostly used as desserts or as additions in milk products, there are also a number of recepies, which can be made from them like pies, soups, etc.
The strawberry, when cut into half and rubbed on teeth and gums, helps in removing tarter from teeth and also strengthens and heals the gums.
Strawberries should be picked in a proper manner, such that it does not cause harm to the fruit or the plant. When picking the berries, one should pluck them with their caps on. This can be done by pinching the berry between the thumb and the forefinger. When plucking the berries, one should look for ripe ones, as strawberries, once plucked do not ripen. So the raw ones would remain raw.
They can be easily stored in the refrigerator, but one should not remove the caps of the strawberries, as they would to lose their moisture. They should be arranged in a shallow container and and be covered with a thin plastic film and stored at 35 degree C to keep them fresh for longer.
The second wife of Henry VIII, Queen Anne Boleyn, had a strawberry-shaped birthmark on her neck. Unfortunately, some claimed this proved that she was a witch.