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Legend
has it we can thank children for naming of the strawberry. After
picking the fruit, children strung them on grass straws and sold
them by the straw or "straw of berries".
b
Another theory is that the name represents the
spreading nature of the plant runners which are strewn, or in
old English "strawed", over the ground.
b
However, the English "strawberry" comes from the
Anglo-Saxon "streoberie", not spelt in the modern way until
1538. |
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Different countries have their own unique way of serving the
strawberry.
b
In Venice, strawberries are served with a wedge of lemon and
sugar.
b
In France the berry flavour is often sharpened with a splash of
red wine vinegar.
b
In Greece, they are half dipped in cheese fondant and served on
polished leaves. |
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Many hundreds of years ago, Native
Americans honoured the strawberry in special ceremonies.
The strawberry was one of the many crops cultivated by
the Iroquois Indians and important enough to be centre
stage in frequent festivals held in its honour. |
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Native
Americans crushed strawberries into a mortar, mixed this with
meal and made strawberry bread.
b
After
trying this bread, the colonists developed their own version and
strawberry short cake was born. |
