Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-13

30 be sure to plan on freezing
and storing q generous supply
while the harvest is at its peak
Of quality. You'll make a big
hit with members of your FAM
lily by treating them to fresh
berries all year long.
One of the family favorites
is the strawberry. When har-
vested at its ripe, red, luscious
peak. no other fruit is more
delicious or as easy to freeze.
Mary Huck, Frigidaire's home
economics director, points out
that selection Of berries for
freezing is especially impor-
tant. II they are home grown,
pick the berries during the
cool of the day at the peak of
quality. Freezing will not i'm
prove the quality of the berries,
but it will retain it during the
months of storage. If you buy
the strawberries at a roadside
stand. or at the market, be sure
that the fruit is freshly picked
and in top condition. If it be-
comes necessary to delay freez-
ing. keep the berries refriger-
ated.
Easy Does It
To prepare the berries for
freezing Frigidaire home econ
omists have outlined several
easy steps.
First, sort the fruit, setting
aside berries that are over-ripe.
under-ripe or bruised. Use
these Immediately for jams or
sundae toppings. Wash the
best berries a few at a time
thoroughly and carefully in ice
water or very cold tap water.
The cold water helps retain the
firmness of the berries. 1t
may be necessary to wash them
several times to remove all
sand and dirt.
Do not let the fruit stand
in the water. but drain immed-
lately in a colander or by
spreading on trays or pans
lined with several thicknesses
Of paper toweling. The next
step is to stem the berries and
prepare them for packaging.
Small berries may be- frozen
whole. the larger ones can be
cut in halves or slices depend
ing upon the size.
Strawberries can be packed
for freezing in three different
ways: With dry sugar. with
strip. or without sugar or
strip.
Sweetened fruit is preferable
when served unlocked for
dessert, over cereals or in
salads and fruit cups. The
sweetened fruit also can be
used in baking If allowance is
made for the sugar. Dry sugar
can be added in one Of two
Ways.
How TO Pack
To pack with dry sugar,
slice the strawberries directly
into freezing containers-alter-
mating berries and sugar. Add
sugar more sparingly at first
then generously toward the top
Of the container. Shake the
container gently to distribute
the sugar. Try "a cup Of sugar
TO each pint or pound Of pre-
pared fruit. Then more or
less sugar can be added at
The time Of serving. depending
Upon family taste.
Another way to pack berries
10 sugar is to slice them In q
bowl, then carefully fold "a
cup Of sugar over and over
with about q quart Of the fruit.
When the sugar is dissolved,
ill freezing containers.
The sirup pack IL especially
good II the strawberries are to
be served for dessert, made into
fruit compotes and so on.
Place about "a cup Of chilled
strup In q pint-sized freezing
container. then add prepared
whole strawberries. To keep the
berries under the strip, place
some crushed cellophane or foil
at the top before sealing. Fam
lily preference can guide you on
the sweetness Of the strip. Al
low head space at the top OF
the container for expansion
during the freezing process.
To prepare strip for the
strawberry pack. make II up
a day ahead and chill = the
refrigerator. Proportions rec
commended are:
80 per cent: 2 cups sugar, 4
cups water;
20 per cent: 3 cups sugar, 4
CUBS water.