With her My Lorraine Countryside notes featuring local berries, Bea of ‘La Tartine Gourmande’ got me thinking of the Fraises de Plougastel (Strawberries of Plougastel) near Brest (Brittany, France).
While growing up in Brest , I often took bicycle rides to visit friends in Plougastel and amongst the attractions were the visits to the strawberry fields. Their sweet taste justified the steep climb. During the peak season they were often picked and loaded the same day aboard planes in the Guipavas airport so they could be enjoyed by many people in other european countries the next day.
What I did not know was that the original plants were brought from Chile in 1714 by Amédée-François Frézier. They were then white strawberries known as ‘La Blanche du Chili’ that can still be found near Puren in Chile where they are called ‘frutillas blancas’.
Visit Journal de Fraises for more Strawberry related information and receipes.