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Show ' Jj FARM and HOWE TAl TT AO J CULTURAL CCHXBOK KTWIIOH nXVTCS MARY LOU REICHERT FREEZING STRAWBERRIES Time to put strawberries in your freezer for shortcakes, sundaes sun-daes or other treats the year 'round is when the fruit is red-ripe red-ripe all over, sound, firm and slightly tart, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture. You may want to freeze some containers contain-ers of whole berries in sirup to top the sortcakes, and also freeze other containers of crushed or sliced berries mixed with dry sugar for fillings, sauces or for a delicious chilled fruit dessert. Tests have shown that for fullest full-est flavor in frozen strawberries the best sweetening is dry (granulated) (gran-ulated) sugar mixed with the fruit. But for appearance that is. for holding shape or texture of whole berries, packing in sirup has the advantage and is less likely to bruise the delicate fruit. Because sirup contains water, it dilutes straweberry flavor more than dry sugar. In the tests 1 part sugar to 4 parts by weight of halved strawberries rated best flavor, but next best was 40 percent per-cent sugar sirup or a sirup mixture mix-ture of 1 part light corn sirup to 3 parts sugar sirup. Here's how to prepare sliced berries in granulated sugar: About quart fresh firm, ripe berries are needed for each pint to be frozen. Wash berries a few at a time in cold water. Lift berries gently out of water and drain. Remove caps. Then slice into a bowl or shallow pan. Sprinkel sugar over berries cup to each quart of berries. Turn berries. ber-ries. Turn berries over and over until sugar is dissolved and juice forms. Pack berries in freezer container leaving i-inch head-space head-space in wide-mouth box. Press berries down into juice. Seal the freezer container. Label with the name of fruit and date frozen. Freeze Then store at zero degrees F. or below. |