Lowcountry Cuisine Spring 2018

lowcountry cuisine LC 24 www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com N othing celebrates the arrival of fresh spring produce like plucking a sweet, succulent strawberry fresh from the ground. As one of the earliest crops to begin producing, strawberries are a staple of spring dishes – all of which are that much better when made with fresh, local produce. “Ours are prettier and usually bigger, and they are delicious – the sweetest thing you’ll ever sink your teeth into,” said Becky Herbert, manager for Boone Hall Farms’ U-Pick Fields. As some of the first crops to produce each spring, strawberries are a local favorite, especially for fruit lovers who want to get their hands dirty and pick their own. Herbert expects a good crop this year at Boone Hall’s popular U-Pick Fields, located on Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. (This year’s entrance will be on Long Point Road.) Herbert expects the 12 acres of strawberries to be open for business around the end of March. Boone Hall, a popular destination for locally grown produce, will follow the strawberry season with an assortment of other local favorites, including tomatoes, collard greens, mustard greens, sweet onions, peaches, blueberries and broccoli. While Boone Hall is also known for its October pumpkin patch, Herbert said they grow some that are sold there but must purchase most of them to keep up with the high demand. But the red berry kicks it all off. “Strawberries are always the first thing,” Herbert said. By Mike Gibbons Strawberry Fields Forever Spring’s Iconic Red Berry is Back