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" Strawberry season is in full swing so now is the perfect time to incorporate this flavorful fruit into your dessert and drink recipes. This sweet berry is packed with nutrients and vitamins including fiber, potassium and vitamins B and C. When picking your next pint of strawberries, make sure to follow these tips on how to choose, store and prep your berries. You will have your family and friends begging for more of these berry tasty treats.   Choose berries that are shiny, firm and fragrant. Believe it or not, size doesn&amp;#039;t affect flavor, but they don&amp;#039;t ripen after they&amp;#039;re picked, so choose the ripest ones you can find. They should be a rich red with bright green leafy caps. Don&amp;#039;t be thrown off by white &amp;quot;shoulders&amp;quot;\u2014some varieties are naturally white in the center and around the cap, even when ripe.   Store berries in the refrigerator, since they&amp;#039;re highly perishable. Keep them in their plastic containers or, if they&amp;#039;re justpicked, in a shallow bowl, loosely covered with plastic wrap, unwashed and with caps on, until you&amp;#039;re ready to use them (maximum 3 to 4 days). Toss any moldy berries immediately\u2014mold spreads quickly.   Prep just before using: Rinse berries with caps still attached under a gentle spray of cool water, then pat dry with paper towels. To remove the caps, give them a gentle twist, use a paring knife to cut off the stem end or use a strawberry huller. For best flavor, let them come to room temperature.   Freeze berries by placing them on a rimmed baking pan in a single layer, then freezing for about 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container. A sprinkle of sugar before freezing helps them maintain their color.   Find a Delicious Strawberry Dessert Recipe:   Easy to Make Strawberry Desserts 10 Strawberry Desserts Under 300 Calories "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips/tips/a4770/a-guide-to-strawberries-105657/>