Strawberries are at their peak on city produce shelves this month. At early morning Greenmarkets, vendors report steady lines for local berries, with many buyers mentioning weekend desserts. In several Lower East Side bakeries on Sunday, kitchen staff were seen preparing macerated strawberries—the fruit tossed with sugar, left to sit until a syrup forms.
The process is straightforward. Chefs combine sliced strawberries with granulated sugar, then set them aside for at least 30 minutes. The sugar draws out the juice, making a light syrup and softening the fruit. Some restaurants add a splash of balsamic vinegar or citrus, but most stick to the basics.
On Saturday night at a Brooklyn bistro, servers offered the fruit over shortcakes, topped with unsweetened cream. The dessert is listed at $12. At a Chelsea café, the berries were served with plain yogurt during their early lunch service. Staff there say the dish is a steady seller on hot days, especially after noon.
Back-of-house cooks say the appeal is the ingredient’s freshness and the short prep time. "It’s one of those things that tastes like summer," said a pastry cook at a Midtown restaurant. With high temperatures forecast for this week, operators expect the demand for berry desserts to continue through June.