Spring signals it's time for fresh strawberries

I know spring has arrived when California strawberries make their way to local stores. Personally, I love fresh strawberries from Oxnard, a town in the heart of Southern California's strawberry belt.

Yet, knowing where berries come from doesn't guarantee the best berries - you need to know how to shop for this succulent fruit. Look for packages full of bright red, ripe berries with no visible greenish-white patches. Unlike many other fruits, strawberries do not ripen after harvest.

Now, to enjoy those strawberries at their best, you want to showcase them in a dessert that allows their tangy, juicy flavors to outshine other ingredients, especially sugar.

Many bakers consider sugar to be an essential ingredient in fresh strawberry recipes. While this sweetener plays an important role, sugar should not overpower the fruit's natural sweetness. After years of trying fresh berries in a variety of concoctions, I've come to the sad conclusion that sugar dominates so many of the dishes that we seldom experience strawberries at their peak.

Artificial sweeteners are not an acceptable solution on the taste or calorie front. While most artificial sweeteners carry fewer calories and carbohydrates than cane sugar, they can taste hundreds of times sweeter.

Achieving ripe strawberry flavor means exercising control with the sugar spoon - sugar does not equal great taste.

Yes, many strawberry recipes call for sprinkling sugar on the fruit and setting aside to let juices develop. The sugar macerates the fruit, pulling out the juices and softening the texture. Add too much sugar and we end up with limp, overly sweet fruit - I don't think that's what nature had in mind when strawberries first ripened in the garden.

My method begins with pureeing the ripest berries with just a bit of sugar; a splash of fresh orange juice lightens the mixture without signaling citrus overload. Toss in some more sliced strawberries and we have a topping bursting with fresh flavors. The puree feels light and smooth, and the ruby red hue exudes eye-popping appeal.

I might even go as far as to say this sauce is so delectable you can serve it atop frozen pound cake and still receive rave reviews. That will be our little secret.

• Annie Overboe, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, lives in Villa Park. Write her at Baking Secrets, Daily Herald Food section, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or food@dailyherald.com. Questions will not be responded to personally.