Immediately after reading this post, run (don’t walk) to the nearest possible place you can buy locally-grown strawberries. Thanks to this year’s long and wet spring, this year’s strawberries are bigger and juicier than I remember them being in a long time. And thanks to this year’s long and wet spring, we are smack-dab in the middle of strawberry season instead of the tail end of it.
But be warned: once you eat a strawberry fresh from the field, you may never be able to go back. They’re redder, sweeter, and juicier than any of their imported counterparts.
So what do you do with these juicy little rubies besides scarfing them down whole, making jam, and smoothies? Get creative! Make a sweet salsa that you scoop up with cinnamon-sugar pita chips or serve with grilled chicken, or go really wild and top your homemade pizza with strawberries, goat’s cheese, and basil.
Here’s what I made:
Balsamic-Glazed Strawberry Salad 
This gorgeous salad is per-fect for Canada Day: it’s red and white and delicious all over.
Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, quartered
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (the older, the better)
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup Bocconcini cheese, cut to be the same size as the strawberries (you could also use feta)
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
fresh basil for garnish.
s & p to taste
Directions
1. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the strawberries, toss to coat, and then set aside for about 20 minutes.
2. Drain the vinegar from the strawberries into a small bowl. You should have slightly more than one tbsp. as the balsamic will draw some of the juice from the berries.
3. Combine the vinegar and oil and mix well, adding s & p to taste.
4. Toss the dressing onto the greens and with (clean) hands carefully toss.
5. Divide the greens onto four plates. Top with the glazed berries and then the cheese. Finish off with a sprinkle of pecans and a couple basil leaves.
YUM!