A bowl of cherries may traditionally represent the good life, but a bowl of strawberries is no less satisfying and captivating. When perfectly ripe, strawberries are succulent, juicy, sweet, with just the right counterbalance of tart that keeps you coming back for more. These bright red speckled beauties remind us that winter is over, and warmer weather lies ahead. A basket of strawberries holds a world of possibility: strawberry pies, shortcakes, ice cream, smoothies, jams, jellies, coulis, and almost any other sweet treat you can think of. But beyond that, they can also be roasted as a side dish component, tossed into salads or wraps, puréed in the salad dressing, or used in other savory applications. It’s a pretty mighty fruit, that one. Even the Beatles wanted to go down to their fields and take us with them.

Strawberries are in season right now, and a recent stop at the local stand of a nearby strawberry farm was quite the revelation. I had no idea there were so many different varieties of strawberries! They stock the stand every morning after picking—flats upon flats of lovely red strawberries. By early afternoon, you see the “All sold out” sign on the side of the road. That’s a lot of strawberries, and we want to know what you all do with them! Tell us:

What’s your favorite strawberry tip, trick, or recipe?

Any special tips for buying them or storing them? Do any of you grow strawberries in your garden? Any favorite recipes or dishes? I love strawberries but I’m pretty simple and haven’t gotten creative with them yet. Ree’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake is one of my favorites, but mostly, I just snack on them, sometimes with a bit of cream or honey yogurt, but always plain and unadorned if they’re particularly sweet. And I always keep some in the freezer for smoothies. My mom keeps them frozen too, but she uses them to keep champagne chilled. (I’m not as cool as she is, obviously.)

We want to hear all your strawberry tips and recipes, so come share below and include some links if you have ‘em!

So to prepare ourselves for what I hope to be a long season of outdoor cooking and al fresco dining, let's make sure our equipment is as nice to look at outside as it is inside!

Grilling is all about letting the meat shine, and usually, you don't need much more than a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper. But sometimes, you want to add a bit more flavor. That's where a marinade comes in.