One French word: fraise, a French recipe : fraises au limoncello

Fraise, feminine noun (une fraise, la fraise, des fraises) = strawberry (pronounced frezz).

It’s the strawberry season! With the lovely weather we have been having for the last two weeks, they are early. Some of the best strawberries in France are grown at Plougastel, in the Finistère, just north of me. So fruit and veg stalls are all carrying wonderfully fragrant, tasty, ripe Gariguettes de Plougastel, a particularly delicious variety.

Fraises au limoncello

A very simple recipe today: with strawberries, the simplest is often the best: fraises au limoncello = strawberries with lemon liqueur.

Fraises Gariguettes de Plougastel

Per portion you will need:

• 100gr – 150gr strawberries
• 1tsp sugar
• the grated zest of a lemon
• 1tbs limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)

A particularly good Limoncello…

… in a very attractive bottle

Preparation:

1. Rinse the strawberries briefly and hull them. Cut them into four lengthwise.
2. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Grate over them the rind of the lemon, or use a zester to make thin strips.
4. Pour over the tbs of limoncello.
5. Stir delicately and put into the fridge for at least an hour, four hours is better.
6. Remove from the fridge at least half an hour before eating. Stir again.

So simple, very flavoursome, but only use really ripe, juicy strawberries. No point at all if they are not.

Bon appétit!