Waste nothing: Strawberry stems syrup

Ahhh July! July in Montréal means the abundance of local fruits and vegetables. It means nice, warm and long summer days. A time for vacation, a time for contemplation, a time for taking the time.

For some years now I've wanted to make strawberry jam. Sadly local strawberries, strangely enough, are often more expensive than imported ones, and even more expensive than other local fruits. But boy are they worth your hard-earned dollars! Sweet, plump and so flavorful, they really are the joy of the season!

I've grab my box of strawberries will touring the Jean-Talon market, which is also a real joy at this time of year. All the smiling people, the wonderful smell of fresh produce and seeing the big piles of green onions, fresh herbs, huge lettuces and tons of berries made my day.  I bet you could get them at a better price if you can go directly to a producer near you though.

Traditional strawberry jam

Using fresh and local (and more expensive) produces really motivates me to make the best out of every bite. That's why when I use strawberries, in addition to the main recipe, I make strawberry stems syrup. It's super simple and really good on pancakes or to sweeten your cup of jasmine tea.

Here is what I do:

Hull your strawberries, leaving a bit a flesh on the stems and use the fruits in a recipe as you would normally. When you're done hulling the strawberries, place the stems in a plastique bowl or glass jar and cover them with water. Close the jar or bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. The next day, filter the liquid through a fine mesh and compost the strawberry stems. Measure the volume of flavored water you have obtained. Transfer to a pot and add the same volume of sugar. Bring to a boil and stir to make sure the sugar is well dissolved, then turn off the heat. There you have it, a delicious treat and nothing was wasted! This strawberry syrup will keep in the fridge for several weeks and can be used in many ways! Get creative, pour it over Greek yogurt or in sparkling water.

Strawberry stems simple syrup

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