For best flavor,
purchase strawberries in the
peak of the season or as close
to it as you can and always seek
out local berries when possible
since they are invariably the
most flavorful.
If you're preparing strawberries
for cooking, you have to remove
the cap and the hull, which is
the cone-shaped, not especially
flavorful, part of the
strawberry inside the berry,
attached to the cap. There are
special little gadgets called
"hullers" you can use to remove
the hull, or you can use the tip
of a vegetable peeler or a sharp
paring knife to sort of carve it
out.
