Camarillo-Oxnard, to be exact. And you Northers don't give me this Wastonville crap, because we all know the best crop of stawberries comes from So Cal! And the small-plot Proprietary variety crops don't count, I'm talking about across the board quality--Camarosa berries are the best!

Every year, my mom just sends me a flat (12 baskets) of strawberries picked to order (yesterday) by Federal Express and I'm one happy red-fingered dude right now. The berries are so ripe that they're jamming now. Growing up on the southside of Oxnard qand in Camarillo surrounded by berries and lemons, brings tear to my eye...

For you guys that don't know what I'm talking about, I feel sorry for you. The strawberries you get in the store (even the very best) are picked underripe because the ripe ones they won't last one day in transit.

I'll bring some pies inot work tomorrow.

To keep this relevant, what do I pair them with (other than fresh whip cream)

Nope. Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

Louisa-what? not strawberries, you guys don't even hit the map. I would not challange crawfish or even blue crabs (though my Maryland brethren may disagree). Too much rain and humidity to grow what I'm talking about.

Anyone else?

Corkage,

You've been drinking too many strawberry margaritas. To say that any strawberry any where in the world is better that Watsonville strawberries is just plain ridiculous. It is a simple fact that Watsonville grows the best strawberries in the world.

Granted, strawberries that are available to 99% of you all who don't live in a fruit basket... those you buy in the supermarket are nothing like the real thing. We have Farmer's Markets where the growers pick the berries the day before they bring them to market. They are infinitely better than that crap you buy in the market (including Whole Foods).

Watsonville RULES!

By the way... Yesterday I posted a thread on strawberries albiet chocolate dipped. Check it out too. They are delicious!

Watsonville strawberries are all over the place right now. We have guys on many street corners selling flats of freshly picked berries. I've gotten them for $5 a flat for margaritas, oh how I love the summer fruit season.

David, the fermenting sugar is definitely having an effect over here....Northern berries peak later in the season, but (regrettably in a way), most of California grows very few varieities now so they're pretty much uniform when peak.

I used to remember the juiciest sweetest berries growing up and it seemed that in the last 15 years or so, they weren't the same. Alas, my observations have some basis in fact. UC Davis patented several hybrids in the ealy 90s-as you guessed, bigger berries, better color, longer shelf life, but to the detriment of taste.

Remember berries used to be uniformly round and conical? Well look at how many are fist shaped now, with a flatness to them so they can fit neatly in a flat. The smallest berry in my flat is the size of a golf ball. They weren't always like that. But I ain't complaining....

The first thing to look for buying berries is their size. Smaller is better; much better!

Just like in grapes there is the same amount of sweet in a small berry that there is in a big berry (maybe more!). Never buy these big, good looking berries if you want flavor.

Second on Pontchatoula. This year's crop is stupendous. $8 a flat. Some the size of my fist.

Long Island and Washington strawberries can be contenders too.

The best strawberries I have had come from near Marysville, WA. They are picked at ripeness and therefore are only available for a very short time and are fragile, but man oh man do they beat the crap out of cali imports.

Like was said, I think strawberrys that are picked to ship usually suffer greatly due to the fact that have to be picked unripe. Cali berries are often pithy here. Therefore I agree that the best berries are usually the ones grown closest to where you be.

Corkage, the local strawberries here in the markets all absolutely stink. I have not had a batch that I've enjoyed in several years.

Save me a slice of your pie.

I never knew there was such a fierce rivalry for the best strawberrys in the world!

Come on, Corkage! Didn't you know Ponchatoula is the strawberry capital of the WORLD?

http://www.lastrawberryfestival.com

Since I haven't eaten the strawberrys from everywhere in the world, I can't say what is best. But lots of places have strawberry festivals. They grow some great strawberrys on the eastern shore of MD and VA.

Corkage did you take your medication today????

Fred did you know that Chile grows plumper better tasting hybrid blueberries than those little caper sized squishys you call blueberries in Maine?

My prescription ran out...I'm substituting sugar right now...

I am having a sudden craving for Strawberry Pie.

No S^%$

Back away from the coffee. And if you make one more disparaging remark about Maine blueberry's I'm gettin pissed

I would have to disagree and say Kula strawberries arer the BEST!!! Once you have had them it is hard to eat any other strawberries.

I hate strawberries...yuck