Baking Outside the Box: Strawberry Dessert Festival!

I recently learned about the Mass Farmer's Markets 6th Annual Strawberry Dessert Festival, and I wonder how I never knew about it before! From June 7th through July 7th 2013, eateries throughout Massachusetts will use fresh local strawberries to create fabulous desserts, donating a percentage of those profits to Mass Farmers Markets. This organization's mission is to partner with farmers, consumers, and communities to promote and sustain farmers market in Massachusetts. Local Farmers Markets improve regional farm viability, consumer nutrition, and community social and economic development. If you live in Massachusetts and want to learn more or see a list of participating eateries, here is a link: 2013 Strawberry Dessert Festival

Why should you use farm-fresh seasonal strawberries? Because they taste better! Since they come from local farms, these strawberries can be picked at the peak of ripeness and driven to you within a day or two of picking. Berries from the grocery store usually travel a LONG way to get to you, meaning that they must be picked before their peak ripeness to avoid spoilage. Look at how red and ripe these local berries look:

Now how about some great recipes to use those fresh strawberries? Here are some of my own tried-and-true Strawberry Desserts below. Just click on the links to get the recipe:

Summer Strawberry Shortcake is one recipe where it really is important to use the best, freshest strawberries possible. Local fruit from your Farmers Market is the best, because you know you are getting the freshest, ripest strawberries around, which really makes a difference in this dessert.