During the blooming warmth of June, take a cruise along the rural farmland roads of Oregon, and you’re bound to stumble across a local farm with a hand-painted “U-Pick Strawberries” sign proudly displayed out front. If you dream of strawberry season every year as I do, you will have your car parked with a bucket in hand before your eyes have time to adjust to the sunny, red-speckled field before you. After a few blinks, the once eagerly empty bucket will overflow with the ripest and most mouthwatering strawberries that grocery stores could only dream of. If you can resist devouring the entire ruby-red bounty on the way home, these precious berries deserve to shine in a dessert that highlights their vibrant yet delicate flavors, reminiscent of early summer.
