Right off the bat, let me apologize for this berry redundancy. I can't get strawberries out of my system. Last e-letter was Fresh Strawberry Pie, and this e-letter is salad with, you guessed it, fresh strawberries. Fresh local berries are so much better than their commercially grown brethren that they're worth seeking out. They also have a relatively short window, so when they're in season, I live on them.

My mom used to slice them, sprinkle them with sugar, and put them in the fridge for a couple hours. This pulls out the juices, making for a great ice cream topping. However I like to savor them a bit differently — keeping them whole, rinsing them with water, then sprinkling with sugar and eating immediately. This creates a kind of sugar "crust" on the berries, which contrasts with the juicy pulp. This is generally done over the kitchen sink. When I want to be a bit more civilized, I make Arugula Salad with Strawberries and Feta Cheese. The peppery arugula (best in the spring) and salty feta contrast perfectly with the sweet juicy berries.

Vinaigrette: