British strawberries

Why it’s an extra special year for British strawberries

Is there a more quintessential sign of the UK summer than fresh, seasonal strawberries? These ever-popular fruits were first brought into our gardens from the Middle Ages, before being heavily cultivated until they reached the beautifully juicy and reliable varieties we enjoy today. We can only guess how many have been served with cream at Wimbledon since the tennis tournament first began in the late 1800s. Up until a few decades ago commercial strawberries were only available in June and July. I remember my grandfather, who was born in early June, would always await his birthday wondering if the strawberry crop would be ready for his birthday tea. Clearly the arrival of this classically summery fruit was a much bigger event in the culinary calendar than it is now. 

Today UK strawberries can be found in supermarkets as early as February and the extended season spans up to nine months of the year. This change has in part come from advanced growing techniques but also from milder weather. Indeed, so far 2025 has been a boom year for UK strawberries owing to the unusually hot spring days combined with the cool nights we’ve experienced. These conditions have been perfect for quickly ripening strawberries that are especially sweet and flavourful. 

Although winter-grown strawberries may share the same beautiful red appearance as those picked in the height of summer, they are far more watery and muted in taste.  The two are completely different and I cannot think of a better case for why it pays to eat seasonally, but perhaps the deliciousness of strawberries in summer also has something to do with how refreshing they are on a scorching day too.

It can be hard to think beyond the classic strawberries and cream, strawberry jam or chocolate drenched cups full of berries.  However, those looking to be a little more experimental could try converting them into a tangy balsamic, combining them in a feta salad, or my personal favourite – macerating with something aromatic like cardamom or even foraged meadowsweet. Perhaps you could go one step further and use just the super-sweethearts (the pointed end of the fruit), as some restaurants do to achieve an even more intensely flavoured dish.

This month you can see Mark making a panna cotta with delicious strawberry consommé – the perfect pairing for our July ingredient of the month. Sign up for the Leiths Letter to make sure you don’t miss it!