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NOTHING SAYS SUMMER QUITE LIKE A DANISH STRAWBERRY July is the month when Dansk jordbær (Danish strawberries) are in plentiful supply. A true taste of summer that shouldn’t be missed. Keri Bloomfield discovers some of the best places to pick your own, and what to do with them. PHOTOGRAPHS KERI BLOOMFIELD / MARTINA STOLÁRIKOVÁ
TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD
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IF YOU HAVEN’T tasted a Danish strawberry yet, now is the time. Big, juicy and full of flavour they signify summer in Denmark, and are arguably some of the best local produce to be found at this time of the year. While kartofler (potatoes), rabarber (rhubarb) and ærter (peas) have also been in plentiful supply, it is the Danish strawberry which really signifies that it is summer. And thanks to one of the best starts to summer in many years there is currently an overabundance, with many farms encouraging you to pick your own. You can find farms to pick from at Pluk selv frugt I Danmark (Pick your own fruit in Denmark) www.plukselvfrugt.dk or at Selv Pluk (Self pick) www. selvpluk.com. Here, you can search by fruit to find when they are in season and where you can pick them. You’re often encouraged to bring your own containers, and after picking your berries, you then simply weigh and pay for them. It is a great way to not only get some of the freshest fruit in Denmark, but also a nice way to explore the countryside. Picking your own, also allows you to get much higher quantities than what
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you’d otherwise buy at your local supermarket. Your only problem being trying to decide what to do with the fruit before they spoil. But, be encouraged to know that you can also freeze strawberries, as well as most other berries. So, if your picking enthusiasm doesn’t match your appetite, then relax knowing that you can freeze the excess. Simply wash, dry, cut off the stalk (the green bit) and freeze in bags.
SUGGESTIONS FOR BERRY PICKING There are numerous farms throughout Denmark that encourage you to visit and pick your own fruit, but here are a few suggestions to get you started.
THANKS TO ONE OF THE BEST STARTS TO THE SUMMER IN MANY YEARS, THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OVERABUNDANCE!
Ventegodtgaard (40km south of Copenhagen) A family farm producing organic strawberries of high quality. They also produce courgettes, raspberries, apples, apple juice, peas, rhubarb, new potatoes and even big Halloween Pumpkins. More information at www.ventegodtgaard.dk.