I try to buy local and in season as much as possible. But I am not beyond the influence of simply over-the-top produce like these ginormous strawberries with their stems still attached that are flown in from greenhouses in California just in time for the local Valentine’s madness… At PHP700 for a plastic container at the grocery (PHP850 at specialy fruit stands in malls, and PHP500-600 or so from the source/importer) with 14 large and nearly picture perfect berries sitting on bubble wrap and weighing an exact sounding 454 grams, they are approximately PHP50 or USD1 each. Sounds prohibitive but maybe not… Depends in what context you choose to view them in…
The berries are bred for maximum size (the berry equivalent of steriod pumped Hulk Hogan), 
a deep red skin color and firm sweet flesh which is sweet and juicy. They come with their stems for one primary reason…stay tuned for the next post to find out why. These imported strawberries are at least 3-4 times the size of the berries I get from Baguio, though I often find that a good batch of baguio berries actually taste more like berries. It is a wonder of modern agriculture and air transport that we have access to these at all… but I wouldn’t splurge more than once (or perhaps twice) a year on these beauties…
12 Responses
Hello Market Man!
Please tell me how to transport it to Manila with minimun damage. Everytime we go to Baguio, I would try to bring some home, different strategy every time, but I always end up with more or less half of what I bought, the rest would be moldy or with “bugbog”.
Thanks.
When we live in england we used to go to “pick your on strawberry farm” once a year, and the children love it as they can eat as much as they can without charge. But now we live in Canada we get the imported strawberry from america and they available all year round. I’d like to cook them with rhubarb in crumbles [flour, oats, and brown sugar]. They are good desserts serve with ice cream.
I’m now entertaining dreams of chocolate dipped strawberries — yum. I’ve never tried really good ones anywhere in Manila though, the strawberries they use are usually too small and not sweet enough.
Hi MM!
We grow our own strawberries here in New Zealand, but they are not as sweet as our own strawberries from Baguio. My husband loves them on his cereals in the morning, or as dessert with ice cream or cream.
Mel, I once grew straberries in our garden in quezon city when I was 7 years old…don’t remember if I got any edible fruit! Would I love to have a strawberry patch in our backyard like you do! Wysgal, stay tuned, you are reading my mind… peng, no one grows berries in Canada? HD, when you buy them do not have them put them in baskets. Bring cookie trays with 1/2 inch sides and line with paper towels then put the berries in one layer and stack without squishing. Do NOT wash you berries until you are ready to eat them. Washing them earlier hastens the spoiling process…
Oh yes they grow strawberries in Canada. They mostly come from British Columbia and we can buy them in the summer. They actually taste better than the one from California.
Thanks MM. I will try that next time we visit Baguio. :)
What a coincidence that I saw this post today. While blitzing thru Rustan’s at Rockwell today for last minute baking ingredients for a V-Day dinner, I saw these temptations in the chiller. P707! Mercy, me. I was very tempted — a hair’s breadth away from plopping down the moolah. After reading your post, I feel that I will go back tomorrow and see if they’re still there.
Like Lori, saw these beautiful things at Rustan’s (Makati nga lang)… I had to walk around the grocery for a full 30 minutes debating with myself, before deciding to eventually get them! :)
Good for you, Mik! I envy your powers of persuading yourself!
Lori, just splurge and buy the things. Rinse carefully and chill ever so slightly (though their aroma and flavor are best when the berry is at room temperature or even slightly warm, as in off the field in sunlight… then close your eyes, bite, savor and swoon and repeat quickly… it’s just 3 cans of diet coke, it’s just 3 cans of diet coke…heehee.
Hey Lori :) It wasn’t too hard because strawberries to me are the same as banana cream pies are to you :)