Food Fruits & Vegetables Throw a Strawberry Party with These Fresh, Fruit-Forward Recipes By Hannah Agran Hannah Agran Hannah Agran is executive editor at Midwest Living, where she oversees travel, food, home, garden and culture content. Born in Wisconsin, raised in Ohio, and now living in Iowa, she's a proud lifelong Midwesterner (aside from that stint in Massachusetts for a B.A. in American Studies from Brandeis University). On her off time, she loves to travel, here and abroad. (A perfect trip involves hiking, art museums and pastries, in equal measure.) At home, she's either puttering in the kitchen or garden--or on the couch with her cat, Clementine, bingeing a good show when she should be reading her book club book. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 12, 2022 Trending Videos Photo: Carson Downing Like sweet gems, local strawberries are fragrant, fragile and fleeting—here for a month, then gone for a year. They eat like candy but bruise more easily, blooming stains on fingertips and lips. After your trip to the u-pick patch, the clock on their perfection runs down fast. So here's what to do: gather friends for the juiciest, rubiest party of the season. 01 of 05 Pimm's Cup for a Crowd Carson Downing Made with a gin-based liqueur called Pimm's No. 1, this old-timey summer cocktail calls for fizzy lemonade and a salad bowl of garnishes—strawberries, cucumbers, oranges and herbs. If it sounds like a drink to sip during a croquet match, you're exactly right, so feel free to dust off the lawn games for your berry bash. View Recipe 02 of 05 Quick-Pickled Strawberries Carson Downing A clever use for slightly jostled or past-peak berries, these tangy gems soak in a simple brine of white balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns. Serve with a charcuterie board or spoon them over toasted bread with goat cheese, honey and thyme leaves. View Recipe 03 of 05 Summer Chicken Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette Carson Downing Heap a platter with butter lettuce, poached chicken, green beans, avocado, berries, chives and basil. (The cooked components are easily made ahead.) Admire your creation, then douse it in pink. View Recipe 04 of 05 Earl Grey Strawberry Shortcakes Carson Downing Tea leaves speckle the shortcakes and infuse the whipped cream, giving this favorite summertime dessert a pinkies-up twist. (Fun fact: Earl Grey's floral flavor comes from the oil of bergamot, a knobby Italian citrus fruit. A grating of orange zest in the strawberries echoes those notes.) View Recipe 05 of 05 Double-Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream Carson Downing No one really needs two desserts, yet here we are. Because when berry season strikes, you lean in. Sour cream and balsamic vinegar lend tartness and depth to the creamy base; a swirl of glossy jam pumps up the glam. 25 Luscious Strawberry Dessert Recipes View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit