English Strawberries

Strawberries grown under glass or plastic are often hard and almost always tasteless, wherever they come from. Elsanta is a very popular variety now. I used to grow one called ‘Cambridge’ and they were delicious, but the birds always got more than I did and they were outgrowing their patch, so I gave them up. And yes, Scottish raspberries are the best!

Right, we're all round to yours, Merlot.

There is nothing like the taste of a home grown strawberry, warmed by the sun and given a quick rinse under the tap in the garden.

The Scottish strawberries I bought today are a variety I haven't seen before - AVA-blush, grown in Angus. When I was up there a week or so ago, a vast acreage of land between Dundee and Perth was under plastic. The Scottish rasps I also bought taste just like the ones we picked (and ate) in my granny's garden 70 years ago, bringing back memories of the many summer holidays we spent in Fife.

The big, red strawberries are often from Spain and in my opinion are not as tasty as the more ‘orange’ strawberry varieties from all over the U.K.

And I agree, Scottish raspberries are lush!

We had some lovely strawberries at lunch time. They were grown in Fife and the variety is Sonata. Sweet, juicy and delicious with jelly and cream. I'm not a strawberry lover, so they will probably be the only ones I'll eat this year.

I think it's the variety that makes the difference, for example a Conference pear will have a completely different taste/flavour to another variety, as will a Granny Smith apple to a Coxs Orange Pippin.

Can't recommend any sold in shops but we have a glut of them in the garden this year.

Getting a bit sick of them now.

Yes, wait for the " proper " strawberries grown in the fields locally. You can't beat them for taste. Those and the Scottish raspberries.

UK Strawberries available now are hot house grown.
In a couple of weeks outdoor strawbs will be available. Much tastier. ???