Year round we in BC can purchase California strawberries but as a rare treat in May the local strawberries come into season. Field ripened BC Strawberries are brilliantly red throughout and are incredibly sweet. They don't often get exported because they are much too tender for transport. We get to enjoy their sweetness at local fruit stands at the beginning of the summer.
In an effort to prolong my strawberry enjoyment I've come up with this recipe. In the winter I will kick back in my cold house and enjoy this taste of summertime sangria in a glass filled to the brim of ice cubes.
Strawberries in Red Wine Syrup
6 lbs of strawberries
3 cups of red wine
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 inches of cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
Wash the strawberries thoroughly and remove the hull.
In a pot, bring the wine and sugar to a boil adding the lemon zest, vanilla bean and cinnamon and allowing it to boil another 2 minutes to properly infuse the spices into the wine.
Add the strawberries to the wine and boil for another minute.
Ladle the hot strawberries and wine into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 head space ensuring the strawberries are well covered with wine.
Process for 20 minutes in a boiling water canner. *
* Note: To execute this recipe, I make the assumptions that you have canning experience. I will make a general canning post to assist those who require the guidance.
Did you know that strawberries:
- were cultivated in ancient Rome!
- were used as a medicinal herb as early as the 13th Century.
- are not really a fruit or a berry but are the enlarged receptacle of the flower.
- are grown in every province in Canada.
- are a member of the Rose family.
- have a museum dedicated to them in Belgium.
- have only 55 calories per cup, 0 cholesterol! and 0 fat...
- are very high in vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.