Strawberry

Strawberries by the box, in season. They are the most fragile thing we deliver and the one where a day matters most — a strawberry does not ripen after picking, it only softens.

Eat them the day they arrive if you can. Otherwise: hulled and halved with a little sugar for half an hour draws out a syrup worth having, they blend into a milkshake or a lassi, and they freeze whole for smoothies later.

Look for berries that are red all the way to the shoulder with a fresh green calyx. A white or pale shoulder means it was picked early and it will stay sour. Check the bottom of the box — one soft berry spreads to its neighbours quickly.

Fridge immediately, unwashed, in the box or a container lined with paper, and not sealed airtight.

Wash at the moment of eating, and hull after washing rather than before, or they take on water.

Two to three days. Buy them to eat, not to keep.