STRAWBERRIES and cream just has to be done this weekend, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Our Lynsey Hope, a mum of three, checks out strawbs at the supermarkets and marks them out of ten.
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M&S SELECT FARMS: 6/10
(400g, £3.50)
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LOVELY. Delicious, rich-red berries from West Sussex, with a sweet and summery smell. They are firm and crisp at first bite and very juicy as they explode into action.
But I had to throw out a few just one day after delivery, as they had gone mouldy very quickly, and that was disappointing given the price.
They were £1.25 more than my favourites, for the same-size punnet.
TESCO BRITISH: 5/10
(400g, £2.25)
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DEEP-red good looks flatter to deceive here – I am afraid to say, they just did not deliver on flavour.
Initially, they seemed quite sweet but this soon turned to a watery taste.
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Grown in Hereford, these were not my favourites but if you are using them to put in a pudding, or lathering with cream, they are not bad value.
ALDI SPECIALLY SELECTED: 9/10
(227g, £2.35)
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I WAS really impressed. These had a lovely colour, smelt delicious – and were a joy to chomp on. They are big and juicy, with a lovely flavour and grown in my home county of Kent.
They also stayed fresh for a couple of days after I bought them. The only downside is that you get just 227g – and 10p pricier than 400g at Sainsbury’s. So not the best value for money…
LIDL OAKLANDS: 4/10
(400g, £1.89)
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A GREAT price and they were not too bad, so maybe an option if you have a a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
But these were sadly less flavoursome than many of the other super-markets’ offerings.
They did last well, though, and offer some tasty value for your hard-earned.
WAITROSE BRITISH: : 3/10
(400g, £2.60)
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THESE looked lovely and were British-grown, but I found them disappointingly soft and mushy.
I thought they were overripe, with a sticky residue, and they seemed to go mouldy quite quickly.
Quite a watery taste in the mouth, too, and one of the more expensive buys. Sadly, a bit of a let-down from Waitrose.
SAINSBURY’S BRITISH: 10/10
(400g, £2.25)
A DELICIOUS bite of summer, these were my pick of the punnets.
The berries were bright-red and looked plump. They had a lovely, earthy and fresh aroma and were grown locally to me in Kent.
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When you take a bite, they are sweet and juicy but with a refreshingly sharp tang. They were certainly moreish – and decently priced.
ASDA EXTRA SPECIAL: 8/10
(400g, £3)
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I REALLY enjoyed these Scottish treats. They had a big, green leaf and fresh, earthy scent.
Their colour seemed a little lighter than you might expect but they were very juicy and lasted a good three days in the fridge without going bad.
Pricier than other supermarkets’ offerings but kept well so felt like excellent value.
MORRISONS: 8/10
(400g, £1.99)
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MOST impressive were this lot.
Firstly, this was on of the cheapest punnets I found on my search, beaten on price only by Lidl.
But they were also lovely and sweet, with a gentle sharpness.
If I had a complaint, it might just be that they were perhaps a little too firm – but a pretty decent offering here a great price.
