Delightful Strawberries

Whenever asked what my favorite fruits are, I would normally say blueberries, cherries and grapes. Sometimes I would include lanzones or mangosteen depending on the season but I never recall mentioning strawberries as one of the fruits that I favor. The main reason why I have never included strawberries in my list of preferred fruits is because when one buys strawberries in Manila, more often than not, it will be too tart for my liking and somewhat tasteless. I even remember a couple of years ago, my sister in law chanced upon these luscious looking, mouth watering-strawberries in SM North Edsa for Pph750 per 500grams (and that was like a gazillion years ago). Upon trying one of the fruits, we found that they were indeed very juicy and flavorful however, still not enough to make me want to gobble loads of them. All of this changed last Saturday.

After a rather late breakfast, Junfer and I strolled along the shopping street that was adjacent to our house when I told him we should go to the fruits and vegetables shop at the far end of the road because I was in the mood for some vegetables for lunch. Upon entering the store, we got some eggplants, a couple of tomatoes and were off to the counter when Junfer saw tubs and tubs of strawberries for sale and knowing Junfer as the fruit addict, he immediately grabbed 3 tubs of strawberries (500grams each). A couple of hours later, while I was preparing for our late lunch, Junfer couldn’t resist and washed the strawberries and immediately offered me a bite of the fruit. I declined and so he ate the fruit that he was offering me. I was watching him and was intrigued by his reaction, after eating the piece of fruit he offered me, he took another one and another one and another one and had this curious expression on his face. So I asked him “Is there anything wrong with the strawberries?” then he told me, “No, I was just trying to see whether I tasted the fruit properly. You have got to try this.” So I tried another fruit that he offered and I was completely hooked. The entire tub was filled with uber sweet, juicy, heavenly-fruits that were no where near the strawberries I have tried in my entire 27 years of existence, seriously. I never thought that strawberries could taste that good. Each and every strawberry in the tub possessed this natural sweetness (and not the cough syrup-like sweetness found in flavored snacks or beverages) and a tartness that was so perfect to the tongue, it was also very smooth and melts in your mouth. Just heavenly. Junfer was laughing when I started gobbling strawberries with him while saying “These have got to be the best strawberries I’ve had in my entire life.” Haha.

What was left for us to do after having consumed so much strawberry? What else, pick up our coats and head back to the vegetables and fruits’ shop and buy more of them.