It’s Peak Strawberry Season—Here’s How to Make the Most of It

A smooth, delicate cheesecake. Lemon zest in the crust brings out the tang of the cheese.

Time: 35 minutes. We created this elegant, elongated version of strawberry shortcake by stacking cake layers with berries and whipped cream.

We could make a meal of this deliciously unexpected combination, but it’s excellent alongside a grilled steak too. Sautéing the quinoa in oil before simmering helps it come out fluffy every time.

This juicy strawberry sorbet isn’t merely rose-colored. It also contains rosewater, which combines so beautifully with strawberries that its flavor seems like an extension of the fruit. Neither heavy nor perfume-y, it gives the sorbet a delicate, aromatic sweetness.

You’ll need 32 bamboo skewers (each 8 in.); there’s no need to soak them before they go on the grill, because they won’t char with such a short cooking time.

Streaks of berries throughout and more spooned on top make this classic Italian ice cream dessert a great finish to a spring dinner. For the most velvety texture, serve it half-frozen, just as the name suggests (semifreddo means half-cold).

If you’re looking for an over-the-top brunch dish for a celebration, this is just the ticket.

As easy to make as a pancake, this classic French dessert from the Limousin region involves pouring a simple batter over fresh fruit (typically cherries) and baking until puffed and golden brown. The fruit rises to the top, leaving a soft layer whose texture falls somewhere between custard and cake.

Showcase juicy, ripe berries with rich zabaglione, laced with sweet wine.

Blogger Ana Frias grew up in the desert, in Sonora, Mexico. She has very strong memories of buying raspados—Mexican-style snow cones—after school from the curbside vendor, and slurping them until her brothers would finally pick her up. To make the shaved ice, just whirl ice cubes in a food processor, 2 cups at a time, until the ice no longer makes a racket and looks like snow, with no lumps.

Sunset reader Christine Johnson, of Shelton, Washington, likes to use spring strawberries fresh from her garden in this salad. She suggests making it with mixed baby greens, but we also enjoyed it with baby spinach.

After finding a fly in her bottle of Mouton Cadet Rouge, chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir, then 24, had the gumption to mail the insect to the wine’s maker, Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the top wineries in the world. In response to her complaint, she received an invitation to lunch at the château. She booked a flight immediately. This recipe is her re-creation of the day’s finale–a tart “topped with a silky smooth kirsch pastry cream and crowned with perfectly glazed, ripe red strawberries.”

Berries can be a splurge early in the season, but if you can wait to buy them until just before the market closes, farmers may sometimes drop their prices. (Of course, they may also run out!)

As delicious as fresh jam is, you don’t always want a freezer full of it. This easy recipe makes just enough for you and for a gift.

When the weather is beautiful, take your weekend breakfast outdoors. These bread-and-berry skewers cook in one fell swoop—as opposed to multiple batches on the stove. And on the grill, the bread gets a gentle toastiness and the berries turn slightly jammy. For the best results, use somewhat firm day-old bread (if it’s too soft, cut the cubes and let them sit for a few hours before cooking). You’ll need a dozen wooden skewers—ideally, flat ones about 10 in. long.